The Golden Globe Race Named Event of the Year 

The Golden Globe Race, an around-the-world solo sailing race, was named ‘event of the year’ at the British Yachting awards.

The awards were organised by the magazines Sailing Today and Yachts and Yachting, celebrating the year in sailing achievements with a ceremony that took place in London at the end of November. The winners were chosen through a public vote that lasted for about a month. 

The Golden Globe Race took the winnings as best event. The race departs from Les Sables d’Olonne, in Vendée on France’s western coast, and is a gruelling solo race around the world, through the Great Capes before returning to Les Sables d’Olonnes. The third edition took place in 2022 and saw 17 sailors set out, only to see three finish the race. The next edition will take place in 2026. 

Kirsten Neuschäfer, sailor from South Africa, who won the last Golden Globe Race (she left in September 2022 and arrived in March 2023 in Les Sables d’Olonne), was crowned “Navigator of the Year” by the World Sailing Federation, and received two awards at the British Yachting awards: “Sailor of the Year” and “Outstanding Performance of the Year”. 

The awards ceremony also commended the Manche port of Port-Bail-sur-Mer which came second in the category for best marina of the year.