To the sound of a lot of frevo, the Anglo-American team Ahmas (Class 40 #127) crossed the finish line in the capital of Pernambuco, Recife, at 23:48 last Saturday (28/01) during the sixth stage of the Globe 40 — The Great Road. After 20 days and 10 hours of crossing with 3,803 miles traveled (7,417 km), Craig Horshield and James Oxenham brilliantly concluded a particularly difficult stage which put the Globe 40 teams to the test.

THE Globe 40, which brings together class 40 boats, is a crossing of 30,000 nautical miles, lasting nine months and 140 days. The match took place on June 26, 2022, from Tangier, in the Morocco.

The end of the regatta, in Lorient (France), will be in March 2023. Note that along the way, stops were made in Cape Verde (Africa), Mauritius (Indian Ocean), Auckland (New Zealand), Papeete (French Polynesia), ​​Ushuaia (Patagonia), Recife (Brazil) and Grenada (Caribbean).

The arrival of the Anglo-American Ahmas team in Recife, marked the inauguration of the brand new marina in Recife, a 250-berth mooring in the center of Recife. The reception was marked by a lot of celebration, in a carnivalesque atmosphere, with the effervescence of the Frevança Dance Company, which has been making history for 15 years.

This Wednesday (1) will take place a festive dinner (boaters, organizers, sponsors and authorities) at the Chicama restaurant (Cabanga Yacht Club of Pernambuco) and Thursday (2) the Stage Globe 40 – Ushuaia (Patagonia) – Recife (Brazil) awards ceremony will take place in the same place. On Friday, the boats will be open to the public at Recife Marina (Bairro de São José) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Since leaving Ushuaia on January 8, the teams have been faced with a particularly unusual situation in Patagonia, ie several days of calm, whereas on the eve of the start nearly 50 knots were blowing in the area.

After a start in a turbulent period, quickly the sailboat Milai, with Masa Suzuki (Japan) and Estelle Greck (France), escaped thanks to a very successful option to the East and had a 100 mile lead.

An advance unfortunately brutally interrupted on the morning of January 12 by a violent collision with a Unidentified floating object (OFNI).

With the boat badly damaged, but without injuries on board and without danger, the Franco-Japanese crew arrived at the Argentine port of Mar Del Plata on 16 January. So far, Milai has carried out repair work at the local shipyard and declared his willingness to return to racing as soon as possible.

For the remaining crews, a second phase begins in a particularly unstable weather zone with a succession of calm zones, depressions, gusts, fishing fleets of up to 100 units within a radius of 30 miles constituting a formidable obstacle, not to mention the devastation of marine resources. A difficult episode for the competitors which followed up to the latitude of Rio de Janeiro with brutal changes in classification.

the boat Dry Hayai, who had also managed a hundred mile lead over her opponents, lost that lead in two days to a much less profitable option to the west than those remaining at sea, such as Amhas and Gryphon Solo 2, who had a great run.

In the end, it was only 500 miles from Recife that they touched the long-awaited trade winds from the southeast of the island. South Africawhich propelled the teams on a steady course towards the finish line in the capital of Pernambuco.

TO GRANADA

Gryphon Solo 2 and Sec Hayai are due out this Sunday (29/01), while the Canadian contender on the Whiskey Jack should arrive in Recife on Tuesday (31/01). This short stopover will end on Sunday February 5 with the start of the 7th stage towards the island of Grenada, in the West Indies, two thousand miles in 8 to 10 days. The last leg of a transatlantic return to Lorient will take place on February 24 from Granada.

A definitive conclusion to the epic of the first edition of the Globe 40. And a first winner who will probably only be known at the end of the 8th and last stage at the end of the duel which promises to be between the Americans of Amhas and the Dutch. de Sec Hayai, most likely separated by only two points at the end of the current stage and with three coefficients still to be distributed – Recife, Granada and Lorient. A fantastic trip around the world, Globe 40 shows that it’s also a competition that has kept us going since last June.

ARRIVAL FORECAST

1st – Amhas (Craig Horsfield (USA) and James Oxenham (ENG)) – 28/01 – 23:48

2nd – Gryphon Solo II (Joe Harris (USA) and Roger Junet (ITA))

3rd – Sec Hayai (Frans Budel (HOL) and Ysbrand Endt (HOL))

4th – Whiskey Jack (Mélodie Schaffer (CAN) and Tom Pierce (USA))

INAUGURA MARINA REGATTA

Capital of the state of Pernambuco, the great metropolis of the North-East, the “Venice of Brazil” built on islands, Recife offers Globe 40 crews a particularly attractive destination with its equatorial climate, its extensive beaches such as Boa Viagem and its role as a cultural capital of Brazil; close to the city of Olinda, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its beautiful Portuguese architecture from the 16th century and also known for its Carnival, like that of Recife, which attracts several million people.

With the support of Pernambuco Sailing Federation (FPVela)of Cabanga Yacht Club of Pernambuco and the partner QAIR, this stage welcomed the brand new marina of Recife, inaugurated last Saturday (28/01) with the arrival of the Amhas, with its 250 berths and its hotel, offering an excellent tool for holding large nautical events.

With information from Maurício Júnior, Marcos Leandro and Daniel Lima from the press office of the Sailing Federation of Pernambuco (FPVela), supported by Cabanga Iate Clube de Pernambuco.