The countdown has started for the fourth edition of the Golden Globe Race, set to commence on September 6, 2026. With just two years remaining, 29 sailors from 12 countries, including two women and the race’s first Generation Z entrant, have signed up for this unique and gruelling challenge. Only one provisional entry remains before a waitlist is initiated.
The Golden Globe Race, which began in 1968 as the first solo, non-stop around-the-world sailing race, remains a defining event in the sport, epitomising the essence of an “unassisted” voyage. The race organisers are currently seeking a title naming partner to ensure the event’s future beyond 2030.
The first Golden Globe Race saw nine sailors set sail on a daunting solo non-stop journey around the world, unsure if it was even possible. After 312 gruelling days, only one sailor returned: 29-year-old Robin Knox-Johnston, aboard the weather-beaten 32-foot Suhaili. Knox-Johnston, an exceptional sailor, accomplished what many considered impossible, thus beginning the legend of the Golden Globe Race — one sailor facing the near-impossible alone.
Today, there are 10 around-the-world yacht races, but the Golden Globe Race stands out. It is not about speed, technology, fame or fortune. Instead, it is about the fundamental human drive to push oneself toward an impossible dream. It’s about a single sailor in a simple, practical, affordable and sustainable yacht, completely disconnected from the world, navigating alone for around nine months. This is the essence of the GGR.
The GGR is a game that does not come any harder. Only the toughest and smartest prevail. The challenge has proven to be soul destroying at the same time as hugely uplifting. Entrants are volunteers in this game of chance and skill against the elements. The voyage is epic, long and lonely. It is about finishing at all costs, yet history suggests only 20% will. Those that don’t finish are stand apart winners for trying. The other events stake their claim to fame in various ways, but there truly is nothing on the planet as mentally demanding and personally challenging as the GGR. 58 years of history rides with them around the world and world and once again in 2026, the world will be watching these extraordinary men and women!
The second 50th Anniversary edition of the GGR, which sailed from Les Sables d’Olonne, France, in 2018, was won by Frenchman Jean-Luc Van Den Heede. In 2022, the third edition saw South African woman Kirsten Neuschäfer become the first woman to win, earning massive international recognition. The final media valuation for the 2022 GGR was €213 million, thanks in part to strong support from host port and logistics partner Les Sables d’Olonne.
Looking ahead to 2026, the organisers are searching for a naming rights partner to secure the GGR’s long-term future and are exploring potential host ports for a SITraN prologue race to the start. In 2022, the prologue was held in Gijon, Spain. Founder and Organiser Don McIntyre highlights the race’s global appeal: “The Golden Globe has significant brand recall worldwide, establishing itself as a major global event that generates compelling human stories. These stories resonate not just with sailors but also with non-sailors and families. For a title partner, the GGR offers unique raw material centered around strong individual characters on a grand journey that begins now and spans nearly four years. This journey promises an extraordinary return on investment at a fraction of the media valuation. We are waiting for your call.”
Spotlight on Entrants: A New Generation of Sailors
Nineteen-year-old Frenchman Louis Kerdelhué has purchased the Biscay 36 NURI,the yacht that Michael Guggenberger sailed to third place in the 2022 GGR. He will be the first Generation Z sailor to cross the 2026 start line at the age of 21. Inspired by the 2022 edition, Louis decided to join the GGR despite his limited ocean sailing experience. He has since passed his YachtMaster Offshore exam and is eager to face the challenges ahead, saying: “When I first heard about the GGR, I read all the books — Robin Knox-Johnston‘s A World of My Own, Jesse Martin‘s Lionheart, Robin Lee Graham‘s Dove, Bernard Moitessier’s The Long Route — and it solidified my decision. While I dread the doldrums, I look forward to the storms and wilderness of the Southern Ocean. It’s incredibly exciting!”
