Glen Jeffery has made the decision to retire from the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge and is making his own way back to New Zealand. He is safe and well.
The retirement was confirmed after the night update went out, making Jeffery the third competitor to leave the race from the original fleet of 15. Graeme Francis on Robbery and Bill Kidman on Pretty Boy Floyd had already stepped away, each for their own reasons. Whatever the circumstances, ending a campaign mid-ocean after months of preparation, commitment, and sacrifice carries the same emotional weight for all of them.
When Jeffery made his call, Wave was sailing in just 7 to 8 knots in a heavily rolling sea. Race Organisers noted that this combination of light air and uncomfortable swell can wear a solo sailor down just as thoroughly as a full storm. There is no crewmate to take the helm, no one to put the kettle on while you grab an hour's sleep. The attrition is quiet but constant.
Up until this point, Jeffery had been holding up well. On day three, with the worst of the weather behind him, his check-in carried genuine good humour. He reported drying out the life ring light in the hot water cupboard after a big wave had soaked it, mentioned that the cupholder had been "wiped off" by another wave, and noted he had just enjoyed his first hot shower of the passage. He was looking ahead to the days to come with something like optimism.
What those days brought instead was the wind hole that stalled much of the mid-fleet. Wave's 24-hour distance made good fell to 70 NM at the Tuesday evening update, caught in the same pocket of calm that was frustrating Roaring Forty, Catnip, Nautilass, and Camellia. At that point Wave sat seventh on line honours, 744 NM from the finish with 469 NM already sailed, a position that reflected genuine commitment to the race, nearly halfway across the Tasman in difficult conditions.
Race Management will continue to monitor Jeffery's progress. He will provide position and status reports every 12 hours, and Wave will remain visible on the Yellow Brick Tracker heading home. The rest of the fleet has been notified and passed on their best wishes.
Twelve boats now remain in the race.
Elsewhere in the fleet, Sarau has crossed the halfway mark, sitting 615 NM from the finish having sailed 589 NM, confirming she passed the 585 NM point since the last update. Pacman, at 626 NM to go, is very close to halfway as well.
At the front of the corrected time standings, Sarau leads Vixen by three minutes on PHRF. Three hours earlier that margin stood at 12 minutes, meaning Vixen is clawing back roughly three minutes per hour. Should that rate hold, the lead changes hands before morning.
We wish Glen Jeffery a safe and comfortable passage back to New Zealand.
