Sixteen solo sailors are fighting through contrary winds and gear failures in the Bay of Biscay, just days after an emotional departure from Les Sables-d'Olonne marked the start of the 2026 McIntyre Golden Globe Race.
France's Damien Guillou held the lead at 12:00 UTC on Tuesday aboard the Rustler 36 Solarem, having taken a southerly track that initially split the fleet. The northern group had hoped to reach a forecast windshift first, but the new breeze arrived across both groups simultaneously, leaving the race to Cape Finisterre unresolved.
The early days have already tested the fleet's resilience. A front brought 25–35-knot southwesterlies and three-metre seas on Tuesday morning, with reports of seasickness and leaks above bunks and chart tables. Norway's Helga Marie (Mara) Løvenskiold Kveseth, on the Saltram Saga 36 Showgirl, gave viewers of the new GGR Window Live channel an unvarnished view of conditions, seen resting on the cabin sole while explaining the reality below deck.
Sweden's Pär Nyman returned to port after losing a critical rigging component overboard before the start, then discovering rudder problems offshore. Monday's haul-out revealed one broken bolt, with a second snapping during removal; repairs were assisted by 2018 GGR winner Jean-Luc Van Den Heede, with Nyman hoping to restart early Wednesday. The fleet's head start now extends only 140 miles.
France's Louis Kerdelhué, the youngest skipper in the fleet, faced a swinging Hydrovane control head on his Biscay 36 IE Charge. A temporary fix held after he considered returning for repairs.
Britain's Ertan Beskardes, having run as high as second aboard Miss Beagle, simply stopped sailing for the night. On GGR Window Live, he explained that rest and protecting the boat mattered more than early position. He did not resume sailing until around midday Tuesday.
The start itself drew thousands to the Vendée coast on Sunday, 6 September, with Sir Robin Knox-Johnston offering each skipper a final handshake and encouraging word. The 1968–69 race winner and Suhaili could not reach Les Sables-d'Olonne due to headwinds, but his presence connected the modern fleet to maritime history. Simon Crowhurst, son of Donald Crowhurst whose tragic 1969 disappearance remains part of the race's complex legacy, presented the official commemorative coin to entrants.
The parade of sail included Bernard Moitessier's legendary ketch Joshua, the Swan 57 Explorer from the 2023–24 Ocean Globe Race, and locally built wooden Olonnois boats.
Race founder Don McIntyre warned that escape from Biscay remains uncertain. A high-pressure system forecast to centre over the fleet within 24–36 hours could trap latecomers, while early escapees might gain days. "Getting out of the Bay of Biscay is always a struggle," McIntyre said.
The Southern Ocean lies roughly two months ahead. First come the North Atlantic, the equatorial doldrums and the long descent of the South Atlantic. Only nine finishers from 43 starters across three previous editions suggests the attrition has barely begun.
