International Cape Horn Association expands register: "Applause for the growing interest in circumnavigations"

The International Cape Horn Association (IACH) has set up a register for crewed circumnavigations in parallel to the register for solo circumnavigations published in 2020, which also recognises individual sailors for team achievements. It is to be increasingly expanded. The new register still contains some gaps due to "unidentified crews and individual players", but these are now to be closed step by step. The most recent list so far includes 1848 individual circumnavigations that took place as part of past Whitbread or Volvo Ocean Races, the Financial Times Clipper Race 1975/76, the British Steel/BT Global Challenge races, the Jules Verne Trophy, The Race, Oryx Quest, Barcelona World Race and Portimão Global Race.

French solo outstanding, British strong as a team

Both the Solo and crew register (please click!) offer a variety of search options. Services can be found by name, yacht, nationality, event and time period. Circumnavigations can be registered via this link (please click!). Both registers are constantly being supplemented and completed. The most successful nation in terms of team circumnavigations has so far been Great Britain with 715, followed by France (232), New Zealand (200), the Netherlands and the USA (75 each), Switzerland with 71, Australia and Spain (51 each), Finland (47), Italy (41) and Sweden (40). Anyone wishing to become a member of the IACH Association must actively apply for membership. Click here for membership information (please click!).

The solo list so far shows that 180 sailors have circumnavigated the world along the three major capes, including Cape Horn. Not surprisingly, France, the cradle of the Vendée Globe, leads the way with 90 non-stop circumnavigations and 27 circumnavigations with stops. François Gabart's "Macif" record from 2017 is listed as the fastest solo circumnavigation. The Frenchman circumnavigated the world five years ago in 42 days, 16 hours, 40 minutes and 3 seconds.

The fact that the registers are not yet complete is also due to the fact that soloists and teams are only gradually becoming active. The gaps become apparent in a quick search for German circumnavigators with Hoorn passages: under "Solo circumnavigation via the three great capes" you will find Wilfried Erdmann's first German circumnavigation with "Kathena" between 1967 and 1968, Uwe Röttgering's "FanFan!' circumnavigation between 2001 and 2003 and even the Vendée Globe performance of the German-French Isabelle Joschke with 'MACSF' in 2020/21, but not yet Boris Herrmann's thrilling Vendée Globe premiere. This is due to take place soon. Click here for the ZDF documentary "Myth of Cape Horn", in which Boris Herrmann also plays a role (please click!).

Ashley Menton, IACH Chairman and himself a circumnavigator on 'Adventure' in the 1977/78 Whitbread Round the World Race, said: "The International Cape Horn Sailing Association applauds the growing interest in sailing around the world, particularly amateur sailors who are now excited about the opportunities that races such as the 2022 Golden Globe Race, the Global Solo Challenge and the Ocean Global Race offer for teams from 2023 onwards. These competitors and their professional colleagues who are taking on the challenges of the Ocean Race 2022 and future Jules Verne record attempts are giving new lifeblood to our association along with cruising sailors sailing around the world. It is therefore only logical that we reward these achievements with solo and multi-crew regattas." Click here to go to the IACH website, which is open to everyone, who have passed Cape Horn under sail (please click!).