Adventure: Last Golden Globe sailor crosses the finish line after almost four years

After the race is before the race - there are few sailors to whom this saying applies more than Mark Sinclair. Last Friday, 27 May 2022, the British-born sailor completed his circumnavigation as part of the Golden Globe Race - after almost four years!

He started as part of the fleet of 17 sailors on 1 July 2018 in Les Sables-d'Olonne. Sinclair finished his non-stop trip However, due to severe smallpox growth on the hull and a lack of water, he returned to his adopted home of Australia about halfway through the journey. For the time being.

On 5 December 2021, he proved that it wasn't a break, but just an interruption, when the former professional captain set sail again with his "Coconut" to complete the circumnavigation after all. He had put himself under enough pressure to actually make it back to Les Sables by registering for the next Golden Globe Race. This is due to start on 4 September in France.

And indeed, the 64-year-old has been sailing non-stop across the South Pacific since last December, rounded Cape Horn in a storm and emerged on the horizon over the Bay of Biscay on Friday after 174 lonely days at sea. He has posted stormy video impressions of his rough ride on his Facebook page "Coconut - 2018 Golden Globe Race" published.

Sinclair finished the Golden Globe Race as the sixth and last finisher. Only five others made it to the finish before him. Two thirds of the fleet had to give up en route. Because of his sailing break, he was classified in the so-called Chichester class, which the organisers came up with for all those who would finish the non-stop trip with a stopover - like Sir Francis Chichester once did in 1966/67. Unlike Sinclair, however, the pioneer couldn't get away fast enough back then and never dreamed of staying longer.

As is typical of the sailing mecca of Les Sables-d'Olonne, Mark Sinclair was given a fitting welcome here. Not only fans, the mayor and the organiser were waiting for him, but also Jean-Luc van Den Heede, who won the 2018 Golden Globe Race.

Sinclair's voyage back to France was just as adventurous as the first half of his circumnavigation: in addition to storms off Cape Horn and in the Bay of Biscay, he ran out of provisions and toilet paper towards the end.

Now "Captain Coconut", as the Golden Globe fans call him, has a good three months to gather new strength and prepare his South African Lello 34 for the next round-the-world adventure. He is still pursuing the ambitious goal of finally making it non-stop.