Pierre André Huglo on the Contessa 32 "Fresh Herring", Alfonso Pascual on the Contessa 32 "Cyrano" and Eric Beauvilain on the Chatam 37 "Merlin" took off in the company of many fans.
Longue Route: German sailor leads the field
Above all, Susanne Huber-Curphey is already sailing in the South Atlantic. The exceptional German sailor had already set off from the Azores on her aluminium yacht "Nehaj" in mid-July.
Some of the eight to nine starters had to postpone their departure. For example, Frenchman Pierre Novelli, who had been prevented from setting off by technical problems during his crossing of the Mediterranean. He will make a stopover in Lorient for repairs before setting off on his longue route.
Later start for faster boats
Eymeric Maiffrédy and Frédéric Switala are sailing faster boats and will therefore only set off on 15 September so as not to arrive too early at the Cape of Good Hope and thus still in uncomfortable winter weather at high latitudes. Eymeric Maiffrédy will start the adventure from Arcachon and Frédéric Switala from the Mediterranean.
This special round-the-world sailing format, in which the sailors can freely choose their starting point and time in order to sail around the world alone, but still together non-stop, was organised for the first time in 2018. Ten of the 19 sailors who took part completed the journey - four without a stopover. Among them was Susanne Huber-Curphey.
Longue Route: travelling the world alone together
The joint initiative was launched Circumnavigationwhich is not a regatta and is not a competition, was organised by Frenchman Guy Bernardin. He wanted to organise something similar 50 years after Moitessier's famous voyage as a tribute to him. His motto was: The joy of sailing around the three southern capes.
On the Longue Route, skippers sail alone all the way round, without stopping and without assistance, on a boat that must not be longer than 52 feet. There are no restrictions regarding the equipment on board.
The aim of the Longue Route 2024 is to "create a community of sailors, men and women who want to realise their lifelong dream", according to the organisers Francis Tolan and Bruno Tréca
How it all began: the Golden Globe Race of 1968/69
In 1968, Bernard Moitessier took part in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race with his "Joshua", a twelve-metre steel ketch. This first single-handed circumnavigation of the globe without any stopovers was endowed with £5,000 by the title sponsor - a lot of money by the standards of the time.
Moitessier was on course to win, but after passing Cape Horn, he decided to continue his journey to Polynesia. "Because I'm happy at sea and maybe I want to save my soul," said Moitessier at the time. In doing so, he missed his chance to win - and the prize money - and made sailing history. After another exhausting half circumnavigation, he finally reached Tahiti.
His later book about the journey, "La Longue Route", became a classic of sailing literature. He himself became an inspiration to many, just like his own role model: the first single-handed circumnavigator Joshua Slocum, after whom he named his boat.
One hundred years of Moitessier
At the end of 2022, Francis Tolan, a participant in the Longue Route 2024, had the idea of repeating the event and set about realising it with his friend Bruno Tréca. In addition, Bernard Moitessier would have been one hundred years old next year in 2025 - another reason for organisers and sailors to revive the event.
