Global Solo Challenge?

[furler49]

This event scares the crap out of me. I see the wording has changed from challenge to race in almost all areas outside the name... Are you now bound by Category 0 or anything for that matter? Who is the race director? Who's coming to get you when the going gets tough? Which world sailing governing body is this backed by? Where is the event insurance? My guess is you'll cross the start and then you're on your own.

Remember the shit show of the Golden Globe Race the first time out? This appears to be the sequel and this for me seems a whole lot scarier.

FYI, it's not you I'm scared for @ronnie_simpson I'm sure you'll smash it!

 

[ronnie_simpson]

This event scares the crap out of me. I see the wording has changed from challenge to race in almost all areas outside the name... Are you now bound by Category 0 or anything for that matter? Who is the race director? Who's coming to get you when the going gets tough? Which world sailing governing body is this backed by? Where is the event insurance? My guess is you'll cross the start and then you're on your own.

Remember the shit show of the Golden Globe Race the first time out? This appears to be the sequel and this for me seems a whole lot scarier.

FYI, it's not you I'm scared for @ronnie_simpson I'm sure you'll smash it!

The GSC was always meant to be a race. People like me wouldn't have signed up for this event if it were just a rally. The allure of trying to finish in the hardware in a budget-conscious Vendée Globe style race has a ton of appeal to a guy like me.

The race has published their extesnive rule book, mostly centered around safety, on their website for quite some time. If you are curious about any of these requirements, you should go to the race site and check them out for yourself. As for the director of the race, it's a guy named Marco Nannini, who himself raced a Class 40 around the world about a decade ago.

I think you may find yourself impressed when you see 30-odd boats racing down the Atlantic and into the Southern Ocean. Should be a neat event, I am stoked to be a part of it. I have some pretty big European sponsors now, and they are all super stoked on the GSC and beginning to attach a lot of importance to it.

 

[ronnie_simpson]

The Italian skipper Andrea Mura traiing on his Open 50. He is not officially registered yet, but should be entering soon.

 

[furler49]

The GSC was always meant to be a race. People like me wouldn't have signed up for this event if it were just a rally. The allure of trying to finish in the hardware in a budget-conscious Vendée Globe style race has a ton of appeal to a guy like me.

The race has published their extesnive rule book, mostly centered around safety, on their website for quite some time. If you are curious about any of these requirements, you should go to the race site and check them out for yourself. As for the director of the race, it's a guy named Marco Nannini, who himself raced a Class 40 around the world about a decade ago.

I think you may find yourself impressed when you see 30-odd boats racing down the Atlantic and into the Southern Ocean. Should be a neat event, I am stoked to be a part of it. I have some pretty big European sponsors now, and they are all super stoked on the GSC and beginning to attach a lot of importance to it.

Thanks for your answer, and awesome to hear you've got some big European sponsors onboard. Genuinely looking forward to following it and I agree 30 odd boats racing down the Atlantic will be cool but the rules you reference are in fact recommendations. And it's awesome that the Race Director has raced RTW on a Class40 but has he ever had to pick someone up or orchestrate a multiagency rescue?

The notice of race is in fact a Notice of Event. By being an event/rally you're not, as an organiser, bound to the same safety requirements as the Vendee Globe for example. The race director should be careful not to confuse the two.

I'm not saying this isn't cool, I'm stoked to see it but my questions remain.

 

[ronnie_simpson]

A couple of very cool Open 50's have just popped up on the market if anyone is keen to scoop up a good boat and enter the GSC!

Owen Clarke designed Open 50 "Pegasus" for Sale - Global Solo Challenge

Pegasus is an exceptional Open 50 racing yacht with an enviable track record. One the fastest boat of her type in the world, recently extensively refitted and ready to race.

globalsolochallenge.com

5 Oceans - Finot Conq Open 50 built by JMV for Sale

Chantier : JMV Industrie CherbourgModèle : open 50’Année : 1997/1998Architecte : Finot ConqNom : 5 OceansMatériaux : CompositeLongueur : 15.24 mLargeur : 4.95 m

globalsolochallenge.com

I don't know what they are asking for Pegasus, but the Finot Conq boat on the bottom of the two links is under $200k USD and is already lying on the east coast of the USA. If you go to the links I posted and then go to the bottom and make an inquiry, then Marco will get back to you.

 

[ronnie_simpson]

A Volvo 70 to compete in the Global Solo Challenge? Doesn't really seem like the ideal platform to me, but Volkan apparently has experience racing on the Extreme 40 catamaran circuit and he has IMOCA experience alongside Marc Thiercelin, so it would seem that he knows what he's doing.

If he manages to put this campaign together, then it could be a couple of Open 60s, a VO 70, 4-5 Open 50s and a dozen or so Class and Open 40s, not to mention the other one-offs and cruiser style boats. Pretty cool fleet!

Volkan Kaan Yemlihaoğlu aspiring to be the first solo round-the-world Turkish sailor​

• Alper Günoral

©Vokan Kaan Yemlihaoglu
Volkan Kaan Yemlihaoğlu is an energetic soul with a friendly smile and a love for the sea.
He began sailing as a child in Yalova, a Northwestern Turkish city on the Marmara Sea. He competed in optimist and laser races until high school and went on to take part in keelboat races. Then he went to Vienna for high school which put on pause his fondness for the sea.
After his return to Turkey after high school, he went to college and continued with his lifelong passion: sailing races. He raced onboard his cousin’s yacht and won many events. In time, he became tired of winning local races and aimed for foreign adventures. He raced with Marc Thiercelin on an IMOCA and with Ian Walker on an Extreme 40.
Volkan Kaan Yemlihaoğlu is an energetic soul with a friendly smile and a love for the sea.However, his lifelong dream has always been to sail solo around the world, and this brought him to enter the Global Solo Challenge.
When it comes to sailing races, this 60-year-old sailor is serious and determined and wants to finish first whilst also having a good time at sea.

©Vokan Kaan Yemlihaoglu

​

Volkan, you began sailing at a young age. Can you tell us the story of how it all started?​

I was born in Moda, a seaside section of Istanbul on the Asian side. My twin brother and I would watch the boats of the Istanbul Sailing Club sailing around all the time, dreaming of sailing on one of them one day. Our father bought us an optimist and we began sailing at the beaches of Yalova, where our summer home was. He was overly protective and wanted us to be under his gaze all the time when we were at sea. In the end, he didn’t want to stand in the way of our dreams.

Sailing is one aspect of the story, but you have been interested in racing since your youngest days. Can you tell us about your racing career?​

I began sailing as a child, but my racing adventures started at around 15 years old, on board my cousin’s boat. (Note from the writer: I also learned to sail and raced on the same boat twenty years later. The world is small.) I participated in several yacht races until I went to high school in Vienna. After returning, I continued to race on weekends.
After college, I started working as an electronics engineer and saved enough money to buy my first sailing yacht, a Benetau First 29 named Barbie. The team consisted of me, my twin brother, my sister, and two cousins. We were successful in winning many races with that boat.
Then, I decided to buy a racing yacht and I purchased a Farr design One Toner and brought it to Turkey with two friends who were not sailors. I told them “If we don’t die on this voyage, you’ll have a hell of a story to tell,” and we did have an exciting story off the coast of Corsica with winds force 8-9 and many bruises. We managed to make it to port in Corsica, but I was so drained that I slept for 48 hours.
I continued to race on my One-Tonner. In the 2000s, I participated in Open 60 races in Istanbul with Mark Thiercelin and then went to France to experience ocean navigation on Open 60s and received technical training from Marc LeFevbre. It was there that I realized I wanted to pursue solo offshore sailing. I also participated in an Extreme 40 race in Istanbul with Ian Walker.
Eventually, I purchased Black Betty, an Open 70 from Portsmouth, and competed in offshore and IMA Rolex Cup Races. I also try to be involved in the administrative side of the racing world. My brother and I founded the Istanbul Offshore Sailing Club and organized a Black Sea Cup on the unique route of Odessa-Constance-Istanbul. We have also organised the Turkish Presidency Yacht Races for the last three years.

©Vokan Kaan Yemlihaoglu

​

The story behind your purchase of Black Betty’s is quite interesting, tell us more.​

I was looking for a new boat to enter offshore and ocean races. I saw an open 70 in Istanbul and touched its coffee grinder winch in the cockpit. I believe that touch was serendipitous in my decision to buy Black Betty. I learned that that magnificent racing yacht was for sale and that a Russian team had already put down a deposit. I told the broker, “if they don’t buy her, then I will.” I waited for a week that felt like years, and one day my phone rang. The broker asked me if I was still interested. I took the first flight to the UK and paid a deposit. I wanted to have a sea trial.
At first, I was not allowed to helm the boat, which frustrated me. At some point, I said that I wanted to take the helm otherwise the sea trial would end there and I would go back to Turkey. So, they let me take the wheel and wanted to reef the main as the wind had built to a 20 kts breeze. I didn’t let them, I wanted to see what the boat could do, and what a beautiful sailing time I had.
Black Betty has a canting keel, which can be moved to windward to level the boat’s. At some point the crew canted the keel to leeward to make me nervous, instead I felt much better then. I saw her speed compared to other 70 foot sailboats around, I knew that I had to buy that boat. I brought her to Turkey with my brother and a friend, visiting A Coruna, Ibiza-Mallorca, Corsica and Patras.

©Vokan Kaan Yemlihaoglu

​

You want to attend the Global Solo Challenge with Black Betty, how do you describe her?​

Black Betty is 21.5 meters in length and 4.7 meters in beam. Her mast height is 31.5 meters, nearly as high as an 11-floor apartment building. Her 800 square meters of full sail area can produce up to 400 horsepower. Her spinnaker size is equal to that of four tennis courts. She is incredibly powerful and when it comes to speed, she will be the fastest boat in the GSC. On November 26-27, 2005, during leg one of the Volvo Ocean Race, she broke the 24-hour distance monohull record with an average speed of 22.75 knots. I plan to make a record attempt this year, a Turkish coast tour of 1500 NM between Hopa and Iskenderun. I want to break more records with her.

How do you finance your boat and projects?​

I am retired, and do not have enough financial resources to fully support my boat and projects. To finance my project, I plan to charter the boat for races and record attempts starting in January. I am currently seeking sponsors and have some ideas for advertisement opportunities. For this types of events, with a yacht of this size, sponsors are crucial as they are for the boats in the Vendée Globe which have budgets in the millions. Unfortunately, I do not have any sponsors yet. I need to make some refitting to make her ready for solo sailing. Every jibe or tack requires several actions to be handled simultaneously. Once the refit is complete, I will be the first sailor to solo sail an Open 70. I definitely need sponsors to be able to use Black Betty in the race, otherwise, I will be forced to use another boat.

It’s not easy to sail, let alone solo sail, and you aim to do that onboard a 70-foot boat. What urges you toward this challenge?​

Since I was a child, I have been inspired by Captain Cousteau’s adventures. The idea of adventure has always been a part of my life, and I found that in sailing. There was a series on Turkish television about basketball in the late 70s, which was so successful that it made basketball famous in Turkey. I want to attend GSC, share daily videos online, and in the end, make a documentary. I hope that will inspire many young individuals to search for their own adventures. I want to be a role model. On the other hand, I will be the first Turkish sailor to have attended a solo round-the-world yacht race. The ego of “being the first” and “the pioneer” also motivates me. I will also be the first Turkish solo sailor to pass Cape Horn.

©Vokan Kaan Yemlihaoglu

​

What are relations like among competitors?​

There is absolutely no rivalry among us. We are connected in a WhatsApp group where we chat and help each other with technical matters, problem solving, and planning needs. This is not only a race but also a friendly navigation event, an adventurous trip with friends. I met Pavlin Nadvorni in Istanbul and we got along very well.

What is your plan for the next few months until the start of the race?​

I need to put together my own budget by chartering the boat. Then, I need to make some renovations to be able to navigate solo. I plan to start training in March. I try to keep myself fit and energetic, but the most important aspect is the psychological aspect of being alone.

What sort of food and beverages will you have onboard?​

I will need about 3000 calories per day. I will have rations, pre-cooked meals that can be heated by tearing the top part of the pouch. I like eating roasted nuts, so I will have a lot of them. 2 liters of water per day, and a bottle of rakı, to be opened when I pass the Equator. I will spill some into the sea, of course, to let Poseidon try some as well.
Volkan believes his circumnavigation should take well under 120 days. As Volkan and I chatted, I looked at his partner’s Katerina and saw her eyes welling up. She looked very proud and happy with her partner’s dreams becoming reality. She is working on social media and trying to promote Volkan’s efforts. I will keep in touch with Volkan and keep you updated on his progress.

©Vokan Kaan Yemlihaoglu

 

[furler49]

Sorry, surely this is a joke?

A bloke is going to do the GSC, solo on a Volvo70 and the organiser is entertaining the idea?

Ronnie, wake up dude, this shit is scary…

 

[ronnie_simpson]

Sorry, surely this is a joke?

A bloke is going to do the GSC, solo on a Volvo70 and the organiser is entertaining the idea?

Ronnie, wake up dude, this shit is scary…

When I was at the VG in 2012, I had a long conversation with a well-respected Vendée Globe veteran who was planning a solo, non-stop lap on a VO70 going the wrong way around. He had sailed VO70's quite a bit and thought that the VO70 was 'the best platform to go solo around on, once you set up the cockpit and sail handling the right way'. I will assume that that particular VG veteran knows more than you do on this topic. What do you feel is inherently wrong with a VO70 for going solo around?

Furthermore, I still do not understand why you are so opposed to many aspects of the Global Solo Challenge. The organizer is a RTW racing veteran and the safety rules are very stringent and are based on the safety rules and requirements for other races such as the Vendée Globe. At any rate, Volkan would have to complete his mandatory 2,000 nm solo qualifying vooyage before the prescribed date (though there will likely be some leniency extended on the completion date) and comply with all race rules.

 

[Trocola]

When I was at the VG in 2012, I had a long conversation with a well-respected Vendée Globe veteran who was planning a solo, non-stop lap on a VO70 going the wrong way around. He had sailed VO70's quite a bit and thought that the VO70 was 'the best platform to go solo around on, once you set up the cockpit and sail handling the right way'. I will assume that that particular VG veteran knows more than you do on this topic. What do you feel is inherently wrong with a VO70 for going solo around?

Furthermore, I still do not understand why you are so opposed to many aspects of the Global Solo Challenge. The organizer is a RTW racing veteran and the safety rules are very stringent and are based on the safety rules and requirements for other races such as the Vendée Globe. At any rate, Volkan would have to complete his mandatory 2,000 nm solo qualifying vooyage before the prescribed date (though there will likely be some leniency extended on the completion date) and comply with all race rules.

I remember Steve white was planning on doing that. A pity he didn't get a try.

 

[ronnie_simpson]

I remember Steve white was planning on doing that. A pity he didn't get a try.

Yes, Steve White. Nice guy. Think he was planning to use the Russian boat.

 

[shebeen]

This is my revengeful ex wife Ella Connolly... for any question on the race, myself or organisation please feel free to contact me directly Marco Nannini, [email protected], she trolling the net publishing various posts and comments under fake names trying to tarnish my reputation and that of the event, sad to see someone fall so low.

View attachment 420388

ooh spicey!

 

[shebeen]

When I was at the VG in 2012, I had a long conversation with a well-respected Vendée Globe veteran who was planning a solo, non-stop lap on a VO70 going the wrong way around. He had sailed VO70's quite a bit and thought that the VO70 was 'the best platform to go solo around on, once you set up the cockpit and sail handling the right way'. I will assume that that particular VG veteran knows more than you do on this topic. What do you feel is inherently wrong with a VO70 for going solo around?

Furthermore, I still do not understand why you are so opposed to many aspects of the Global Solo Challenge. The organizer is a RTW racing veteran and the safety rules are very stringent and are based on the safety rules and requirements for other races such as the Vendée Globe. At any rate, Volkan would have to complete his mandatory 2,000 nm solo qualifying vooyage before the prescribed date (though there will likely be some leniency extended on the completion date) and comply with all race rules.

I suppose that is the answer there.
VO70 seemed like a lot of boat when they reduced the crew from 10/12 to 8 (guessing on those nunmbers).

So you are going to have to do a lot to it to make it a comfortable singlehander, I'm not sure how many have been converted to short handed sailing but this seems to be the first gooing for a solo lap around the world..

also in Italics this race is going the traditional route so the advantages of the VO70 are less than this anonymous veteran was espousing.

 

[ronnie_simpson]

I suppose that is the answer there.
VO70 seemed like a lot of boat when they reduced the crew from 10/12 to 8 (guessing on those nunmbers).

So you are going to have to do a lot to it to make it a comfortable singlehander, I'm not sure how many have been converted to short handed sailing but this seems to be the first gooing for a solo lap around the world..

also in Italics this race is going the traditional route so the advantages of the VO70 are less than this anonymous veteran was espousing.

well, Steve's not anonymous, as he was named in a post above and then I confirmed that we were indeed talking about the same person. So there's that.

From my understanding, he thought that the main advantage to going the wrong way 'round in a VO70 was economics. The (then) Volvo Ocean Race had already announced that they were going to VO65's, which effectively made old, uncompetitive VO70's plummet in price and represent an incredible value. He also thought that going solo and the wrong way around would be more attractive to sponsors, as it allowed him an easy way to stand out from the pack, as he saw the IMOCAs/ VG becoming increasingly saturated.

As far as setting the boat up to go solo, one could conceivably swap out the headsails and forestays to be furlilng gear and change the cockpit/ mainsheet layout a bit, install autopilots and sail the boat a bit more throttled back. Again, probably not my first choice, but when given that VO70's sell for peanuts, relatively speaking, and are super tough and fast I can see the appeal.

The previous poster who was bashing the VO70 for a solo lap has been repeatedly trying to make it sound like the Global Solo Challenge is manifestly unsafe and not a real race and is a terrible concept for a race, to which I wholeheartedly disagree. Volkan seems like a nice guy, I hope he can pull his campaign together.

As mentioned in the article about him, there is a quite active WhatsApp thread with daily messages and updates from other skippers, and the race organizers. It will be really interesting to see how many of us actually make it to the starting line, and finish line, and to see the race unfold. I wish everyone the best of luck.

 

[shebeen]

well, Steve's not anonymous, as he was named in a post above and then I confirmed that we were indeed talking about the same person. So there's that.

From my understanding, he thought that the main advantage to going the wrong way 'round in a VO70 was economics. The (then) Volvo Ocean Race had already announced that they were going to VO65's, which effectively made old, uncompetitive VO70's plummet in price and represent an incredible value. He also thought that going solo and the wrong way around would be more attractive to sponsors, as it allowed him an easy way to stand out from the pack, as he saw the IMOCAs/ VG becoming increasingly saturated.

As far as setting the boat up to go solo, one could conceivably swap out the headsails and forestays to be furlilng gear and change the cockpit/ mainsheet layout a bit, install autopilots and sail the boat a bit more throttled back. Again, probably not my first choice, but when given that VO70's sell for peanuts, relatively speaking, and are super tough and fast I can see the appeal.

The previous poster who was bashing the VO70 for a solo lap has been repeatedly trying to make it sound like the Global Solo Challenge is manifestly unsafe and not a real race and is a terrible concept for a race, to which I wholeheartedly disagree. Volkan seems like a nice guy, I hope he can pull his campaign together.

As mentioned in the article about him, there is a quite active WhatsApp thread with daily messages and updates from other skippers, and the race organizers. It will be really interesting to see how many of us actually make it to the starting line, and finish line, and to see the race unfold. I wish everyone the best of luck.

sorry I didn't put two and two together, someone who has completed the Vendee has a solid opinion. The issue here really is that it's a good option because it's "affordable". I guess the reliability of the boats is up for debate, but there's a perception that they were not "super tough" and are now a bit older.

I'll defer to wikipedia entry on the VO65, which seems as good as any source on this:

more than happy to be wrong on this!

 

[ronnie_simpson]

An American sailor sold his house and cashed out his retirement to score an older IMOCA and enter the GSC!

Welcome Curt!

https://globalsolochallenge.com/curt-morlock-news/

 

[ronnie_simpson]

I guess the reliability of the boats is up for debate, but there's a perception that they were not "super tough" and are now a bit older.

more than happy to be wrong on this!

Nah, you're not wrong. VO65's were built to be absolutely bullet proof, and get more boats to the finish line while reducing costs and standardizing the maintenance process. I think the 70's are still super tough boats though, as evidenced by how many are still being raced very successfully to take line honors or win overall in major ocean races all over the world. Will be really interesting to see if Volkan makes it to the start line (and the finish line).

 

[ronnie_simpson]

I am super stoked to be able to officially announce this sponsorship! In about two more months, i'll be adding an entire sail inventory of Elvstrøm Sails onto Sparrow for the GSC! This is a huge sponsorship and has helped get me so much closer to the starting line. Massive thanks to Elvstrøm Sails and Challenge Sailcloth for the sails, as well as Wichard Group and Facnor and ProFurl, who are sponsoring the campaign with a structural headsail furler and two Code 0 furlers. Press release from Elvstrøm below:

Elvstrøm Sails Press Release

News​

Ronnie Simpson is gearing up for Global Solo Challenge with Elvstrøm Sails and Challenge Sailcloth​

Written on 27 February 2023.

Ronnie Simpson is setting sails on an immense project in 2023 racing singlehanded around the Globe in the Global Solo Challenge powered by Elvstrøm Sails in corporation with Elvstrøm Chesapeake Sailmakers and Challenge Sailcloth.
The idea of racing alone around the world came about for Ronnie Simpson through the last couple of years – and now the dream is set to become a reality.

Sail production at Elvstrøm Sails is about to kick into gear, which also means that Ronnie Simpson is close to reaching his first big goal. Ronnie Simpson has over 15 years of experience in competitive offshore sailing and has among other results two Transpac division wins to his name – one of which were singlehanded.

Ronnie Simpson is 37 years old and based off Hawaii. He has used sailing to find a new direction in life after returning to the States as an Iraq war veteran. Simpson was wounded in combat in Iraq and is classified as a medially retired US Marine. Discovering the world of sailing became a vital turning point for Ronnie Simpson, who has clocked over 130.000 miles at sea since then.

Sparrow is an Open 50 from 1994. The yacht was built in Australia and designed by David Lyons. Sparrow was originally built for the 1994 BOC Around the World Race, and now it's time for another race around the Globe. Photo: Ronniesimpsonracing.com

Starting the Global Solo Challenge in A Coruña, Spain later in 2023 with ‘Sparrow’, an Open 50. Sparrow has done it all before, in fact, she has completed two singlehanded races around the World before.

- I have always had the Vendée Globe as my ultimate goal in life, so I was naturally interested in the Global Solo Challenge as soon as I heard of it. I had also given a project for the Global Solo Challenge some thought, but I did not have the right boat for the race which initially made me put the idea away. Then, my old friend Whitall Stokes reached out to me last summer and asked if I would be interested in campaigning Sparrow - and I jumped at the opportunity right away, Ronnie Simpson says.

Ronnie Simpson is gearing up for a completely new challenge - sailing around the World in the Global Solo Challenge. Photo: Jon Whittle/Sailing World Magazine

The Elvstrøm Sails wardrobe is shaping up​

A Global Solo Challenge entry of this scale takes months of planning and - of course - strong partnerships. Elvstrøm Sails is on board with Ronnie Simpson and Sparrow for this project in which Sparrow will run a full range of Elvstrøm Sails produced from Challenge Sailcloths. The wardrobe is produced with sustainability in mind, which means that a substantial part of the wardrobe is based on the eXRP type of cloth, made from recycled materials.

The sail wardrobe for Sparrow includes a Fathead Mainsail, Furling Jib 103% and a Staysail 80% which are all made from the Challenge Sailcloth eXRP Cruise 24. The eXRP Cruise is a high-end laminate, where the main parts of the material are made from recycled polyester. That includes the film, the taffeta, and the polyester fibres. The combination of black polyester fibres and white taffeta makes up for a greyish look. The eXRP Cruise is further stabilized with 5% of UPE virgin fibres.

Adding to this are two variations of the Elvstrøm Sails Code 0 in the shape of a Code 0 Cable Free 65% and a Code 0 C 53%. A Gennaker and a spinnaker is also a part of the new wardrobe for Sparrow – these measure 205 m² for the CR Gennaker and 274 m² for the Elvstrøm Sails A2 Spinnaker.

Sparrow has done it all before, albeit under a different name. The Global Solo Challenge entry is set to be her third circumnavigation. Photo: Jon Whittle/Sailing World Magazine

A unique challenge​

Racing around the Globe represents a unique challenge, in which Ronnie Simpson and Sparrow can expect over 120 days of continuous sailing. For Elvstrøm Sails, this also makes an ideal opportunity for an extreme long-distance test including all the feedback it represents, R&D Manager Flemming Christensen says:

- This is a very interesting project to follow, and it represents a great opportunity for us and Challenge Sailcloth to get the feedback from a very thorough long-distance test of our designs, materials, and solutions. I can’t wait to see Sparrow with the new wardrobe on.

The partnership between Sparrow and Elvstrøm Sails works both ways, Ronnie Simpson adds:

- Elvstrøm Sails is the perfect partner for this project. It's a huge company with big resources that can take on a project like this and build great sails for me. At the same time, it is also a company which can benefit from raising its profile in the USA, which I believe I can add to with my new racing programme. It is really a perfect relationship where both sides can benefit and help each other grow, and I like that. I am very happy to have Elvstrøm Sails onboard with my racing efforts.

Having got the boat just six months ago, Ronnie Simpson is working hard to get everything ready for the start in Europe in October 2023. Simpson and Sparrow are currently in the US, with a solo Atlantic crossing planned in the summer ahead of the start from Spain.
Check out www.ronniesimpsonracing.com for more!
Cover photo courtesy of Phil Anema.

 

[TheDragon]

Congrats Ronnie, I for one am looking forward to following you and others in this adventure. Unless I am mistaken, this event is well-timed to grab eyeballs of sailors between the GCR and TOR this season, and the VG next year. But next time, if you get to see such a press release beforehand, have someone conversant with English check the grammar and rewrite to remove repetition. Good luck!