Go Boating NZ
Pär Nyman on deck aboard Lazy Otter in the dark of the South Atlantic, captured by the GGR Window LIVE night-vision camera on 20 October 2026 as the fleet braces for a severe storm.
Golden Globe Race

Storm bears down as Guillou's GGR lead shrinks to 450nm

2 min read
GoBoating with background information from Golden Globa Race team

A severe South Atlantic storm is closing in on the solo sailors of the 2026 McIntyre Golden Globe Race, with winds expected to hit 50 knots and gusts up to 70 from Sunday as the fleet pushes towards the Southern Ocean.

The GGR Yellowbrick tracking map from 23 October 2026 shows leader Damien Guillou aboard Solarem sailing well south of chasers Ertan Beskardes and Andrea Lodolo, as skippers adjust course ahead of a powerful storm forecast for 25 October.
The GGR Yellowbrick tracking map from 23 October 2026 shows leader Damien Guillou aboard Solarem sailing well south of chasers Ertan Beskardes and Andrea Lodolo, as skippers adjust course ahead of a powerful storm forecast for 25 October. | Photo: Golden Globe Race

Nearly seven weeks after the 6 September start, race leader Damien Guillou aboard SOLAREM has sailed around 6,500 nautical miles and reached the Roaring Forties. Having originally been tracking straight into the storm's path, he is now working northeast to climb north of 38°S and reduce his exposure to its worst sector. Even with that adjustment, he may still face winds around 50 knots.

Guillou's lead over the chasing fleet has narrowed from around 750 nautical miles to roughly 450. The South Atlantic High forced him and Pat Lawless further south into headwinds, while their pursuers rounded the Trindade waypoint sooner than expected. Guillou has also been battling a main-halyard failure that cost him around five hours near Trindade, prompting him to rig an external halyard as a third option before the Southern Ocean proper begins.

Pat Lawless's Silvermines Hydro, with the yellow arrow marking the stern steering-gear area. A Solent stay failure and tiller-to-rudder-head issues ended his GGR challenge, and he's now retired and heading north to the Cape Verde Islands.
Pat Lawless's Silvermines Hydro, with the yellow arrow marking the stern steering-gear area. A Solent stay failure and tiller-to-rudder-head issues ended his GGR challenge, and he's now retired and heading north to the Cape Verde Islands. | Photo: Golden Globe Race

Lawless's race has ended in frustrating fashion. Aboard SILVERMINES HYDRO, a Solent stay failure at deck level was followed by rudder-head trouble, with two riveted fastenings failing in the fitting connecting the tiller to the rudder head and no suitable replacement bolts available for a secure repair at sea. Rather than risk another four months in the Southern Ocean, Lawless is now heading north, possibly towards the Cape Verde Islands or the Canary Islands. It is a cruel repeat of his 2022 GGR campaign, which ended when an Aries windvane failure forced him into Cape Town.

Ertan Beskardes aboard Miss Beagle in the South Atlantic, now holding second place in the Golden Globe Race as a severe storm bears down on the fleet. Captured by GGR Window LIVE on 13 October 2026.
Ertan Beskardes aboard Miss Beagle in the South Atlantic, now holding second place in the Golden Globe Race as a severe storm bears down on the fleet. Captured by GGR Window LIVE on 13 October 2026. | Photo: Golden Globe Race

Behind the leaders, Ertan Beskardes aboard MISS BEAGLE has moved into second, with Andrea Lodolo aboard BIBI pressing from third after climbing his own mast to fix a lost main halyard. Daniel Pinsky aboard EXODUS sits around 300 nautical miles further back, reporting no serious boat problems despite ongoing fatigue.

Etienne Messikommer sailing Bernard across the South Atlantic, where weeks of frustrating calms have given way to the threat of a powerful storm. GGR Window LIVE image from 15 October 2026.
Etienne Messikommer sailing Bernard across the South Atlantic, where weeks of frustrating calms have given way to the threat of a powerful storm. GGR Window LIVE image from 15 October 2026. | Photo: Golden Globe Race

Louis Kerdelhué aboard IE CHARGE, the fleet's youngest sailor, is due into Recife around 09:00 on 24 October after a gruelling ten days stuck in the doldrums, now compounded by a contaminated water tank and a faulty genoa furler. Organisers have allowed him a refuge mooring to rest and attempt repairs while keeping his GGR status alive, provided he avoids the marina and accepts no outside help.

Mara Løvenskiold Kveseth aboard SHOWGIRL continues to carry a ten-day penalty, reduced from 16, for six unauthorised satellite phone calls, to be served in the North Atlantic on her return to Les Sables-d'Olonne.

Pär Nyman aboard Lazy Otter during his solo circumnavigation, pressing on despite two broken ribs, repeated mast climbs and radio troubles as the fleet nears the Southern Ocean. GGR Window LIVE, 19 October 2026.
Pär Nyman aboard Lazy Otter during his solo circumnavigation, pressing on despite two broken ribs, repeated mast climbs and radio troubles as the fleet nears the Southern Ocean. GGR Window LIVE, 19 October 2026. | Photo: Golden Globe Race

Of the 16 starters, 13 remain in the main GGR classification. Lawless and Selim Yalcin aboard HELP DISABLED CHILDREN have retired, while Guy deBoer continues separately in Chichester Class. The Cape of Good Hope and months of Southern Ocean sailing still lie ahead. Race founder Don McIntyre says the drama is only building, with the fleet's live broadcasts bringing fans closer than ever to the realities of solo ocean racing.

What to read next