Twelve of the 16 starters remain in the main race of the McIntyre Golden Globe Race 2026 after almost 60 days and up to 8,000 nautical miles at sea. On 3 November, Damien Guillou became the first skipper to pass the longitude of the Cape of Good Hope aboard his Rustler 36 Solarem, as three storms in ten days tested the fleet approaching the Southern Ocean.

The sailors left Les Sables-d’Olonne on 6 September. Having crossed the Equator and worked their way down the South Atlantic, many still face roughly 20,000 nautical miles before completing the circumnavigation. Ahead lie the Indian Ocean, the Great Australian Bight, the Pacific and Cape Horn.

Fleet positions on 4 November 2026 at 20:00 UTC: Guillou is east of the longitude of the Cape of Good Hope. © GGR 2026 / YB Tracking.
Fleet positions on 4 November 2026 at 20:00 UTC: Guillou is east of the longitude of the Cape of Good Hope. © GGR 2026 / YB Tracking.

Three storms and winds reported above 60 knots

Different parts of the fleet have encountered three severe weather systems, with gusts forecast to reach 70 knots or more in some areas. Daniel Pinsky reported winds exceeding 60 knots aboard his Baba 35 Exodus, hand-steering under bare poles as breaking seas damaged his windvane steering and storm-sail fittings.

Pinsky subsequently climbed the mast to recover a lost storm-jib halyard. By 30 October, he reported that Exodus was repaired and sailing well. Henry Wootton, aboard Privateer, described repeated breaking following seas, including one that sent water through the companionway. Etienne Messikommer reported more than 40 knots aboard Bernard and the biggest seas he had experienced, alongside the sight of his first albatross.

Video: Golden Globe Race 2026 Week 8 recap

Watch the Week 8 recap by Mainsail Cuts on the official Golden Globe Race YouTube channel.

Guy deBoer cannot continue after injury

On 4 November, Race Management ruled Guy deBoer unfit to continue, including in Chichester Class, following medical advice. A violent fall below decks aboard Spirit had left him unconscious and caused a head injury and other injuries that restricted his ability to work on deck.

DeBoer had resumed his voyage after extensive repairs in Lanzarote. At the time of this 5 November update, he remained aboard and was receiving weather guidance while a safe destination was being considered.

The race has also lost Pat Lawless, whose challenge ended after a Solent-rig failure on 17 October, and Louis Kerdelhué, who retired in Recife following severe physical exhaustion in the Doldrums.

Guillou reaches a milestone with traditional navigation

Passing the longitude of the Cape of Good Hope carries particular significance for Guillou: these are the waters where his 2022 race ended. This time, Solarem leads the fleet eastwards into the next stage of the voyage.

The GGR combines small, traditional long-keel yachts with paper charts, sextants and windvane steering, without modern electronic navigation. A circumnavigation can take around 240 days, making equipment maintenance and endurance central to the contest.

Damien Guillou prepares a sextant sight aboard Solarem, 30 October 2026. © GGR 2026.
Damien Guillou prepares a sextant sight aboard Solarem, 30 October 2026. © GGR 2026.

The strain of sailing alone

GGR Window LIVE offers a one-way view of life aboard without giving skippers ordinary internet access or two-way conversations. Ertan Beskardes shares long reflections from Miss Beagle, while Gunnar Christensen talks through reefing decisions aboard Pompoen. Repairs, fatigue and doubts are as much a part of these glimpses as the sailing itself.

Ertan Beskardes aboard Miss Beagle during GGR Window LIVE, 24 October 2026. © GGR 2026.
Ertan Beskardes aboard Miss Beagle during GGR Window LIVE, 24 October 2026. © GGR 2026.

Barnacles and difficult routing decisions

Among the chasing boats, Andrea Lodolo was forced to sail west aboard BiBi to negotiate an unfavourable low before turning east again. Matt Woodside, on Tipi Haere, is seeking stronger winds farther south, accepting more demanding conditions in his attempt to pass the competition.

Isa Rosli has spent hours in cold water scraping barnacles from the hull of Olleanna to recover lost speed. The problem recalls Jeremy Bagshaw’s experience aboard the same yacht in the 2022 edition: heavy fouling forced a stop in Hobart and a move into Chichester Class.

Isa Rosli aboard Olleanna before the start. Hull fouling has since become a challenge during his race. © GGR 2026.
Isa Rosli aboard Olleanna before the start. Hull fouling has since become a challenge during his race. © GGR 2026.
Archive from the 2022 race edition: Jeremy Bagshaw examines barnacle growth on Olleanna in Hobart. © GGR 2026.
Archive from the 2022 race edition: Jeremy Bagshaw examines barnacle growth on Olleanna in Hobart. © GGR 2026.

With most of the fleet still approaching the Roaring Forties, the coming months will test both the boats and their skippers. Follow their progress on the official live tracker and consult the race timeline for developments and decisions.

For more information, visit the official Golden Globe Race website.

Cover: a five-metre sea viewed from Damien Guillou’s Solarem, GGR Window LIVE, 29 October 2026. © GGR 2026.