Globe40: The wow pictures from the Lorient start of the circumnavigation
Tatjana Pokorny
· 05.09.2025
The Globe40 prologue began on Thursday with nine crews. The first leg of the circumnavigation will take the teams to Cádiz in Andalusia. The starting signal for the first of six legs around the world will be given there on 14 September.
The prologue, in which the two-handed teams are still allowed to sail with crew reinforcements before continuing in duos, challenged its contenders at the start with fresh winds and strong waves. French photographer Jean-Marie Liot captured some wow pictures.
Burke and Fink third after the first night
This was preceded by the preparation period in Lorient, during which low-pressure systems moved at a pace reminiscent of the starts of the traditional transatlantic winter regattas in late summer. The originally planned start date of 31 August had to be postponed. On Thursday, the budding circumnavigators were finally able to set course for Cádiz with the Globe40 prologue.
The opening leg will test the daredevils over 900 nautical miles. It will be the first test of strength between the teams. After the first night, the picture is still the same as it was quickly after the start: the top favourites on "Crédit Mutuel" are leading ahead of their chasers: Ian Lipinski and Antoine Carpentier have, as expected, taken command ahead of Team Belgium Ocean Racing - Curium with Jonas Gerckens and Renaud Dehareng.
Lennart Burke and Melwin Fink followed in third place on Friday morning with Team Next Generation Boating - Around the World. So far, the intermediate results are in line with expectations. On the course for Cadiz, however, the German sailors were able to make up ground in the past few hours, even in the less favoured flat conditions, while they struggled through the expected flat passage in the Bay of Biscay.
A crisp start and the first lull
On Friday morning, Melwin Fink reported from the sea: "We are here at sunrise and are fighting our way through the flat conditions. A bit of wind has just picked up again. Joachim is steering us through the doldrums here." Only in the Globe40 prologue are two-handed crews permitted to take up to two additional crew members on board. Boat owners Joachim Wünning and Sebastain Dziwisch are part of the Next Generation Boating - Around the World team.
Melwin Fink continued: "We're doing well. We had a great first night. Everything was as expected. The position was very good. I think we were third all night, are still third now and are fighting our way towards the front of the podium. But first we have to get through the flat conditions here. That's the worst thing we can do."
We got off to a mega start and were on the line from zero." Melwin Fink
The Globe40 start the day before was as emotional as it was thrilling for the young circumnavigators Melwin Fink and Lennart Burke. Melwin Fink explains: "On the one hand, it was goosebumps to finally be able to get going after the intensive preparation time. We were able to step on the gas straight away. We're happy so far!"
Globe40: at the beginning of the week in Cádiz
The 900-mile prologue, which will take the Class40 crews through the Bay of Biscay and past Cape Finisterre along the Spanish and Portuguese coasts in the first few days of the Globe40, will come to an end with the passage of Cape St Vincent and the final sprint in the Bay of Cádiz. The boats are expected to arrive there from the evening of 8 September.
It won't be a walk in the park. The first points with a factor of 0.5 will be awarded in the Globe40 prologue, which could well play a role in the final standings. In the final classification of the Globe40 premiere, only two points separated the winners from their closest rivals. Victory was only secured on the final stage.
