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Don McIntyre, founder of the Golden Globe, Ocean Globe and Mini Globe Races is about to go sailing, as the first ever Globe 5.80 Transat is about to get underway
A message from Don:
In 2014, while adventuring in the Kingdom of Tonga, the idea of the Golden Globe Race evolved.
For the past 40 years I have been enjoying a new adventure every four or five years and this GGR was to be my next solo circumnavigation. It turned out to be an EXTREME Adventure, but I did not sail, instead organising and managing that event with Jane. Then came the www.oceangloberace.com and now the www.MiniGlobeRace.com and www.ClassGlobe580.com One Design Mini Ocean racing yachts.
Jane and I are proud of the many sailors around the world who are passionate about these new and completely unique events. They are excited about the opportunity to follow challenging dreams through our races. While our management teams and budgets are small, our results speak for themselves because of our growing family of followers, participants and volunteers.
In the next few days, I finally get back to an adventure for me. I am going on holiday for two months and signing off! Jane, Aida, Sébastien, Nick, Melissa, Lutz and others will take over while I am gone. They are the amazing ‘A’ team (‘A’ for Adventure!) I should be back just before Xmas (touch wood!)
I will race ‘TREKKA’ my Globe 5.80 Mini solo across the Atlantic in the www.Globe580Transat.com. I first sail 600 miles from Marina Lagos in Portugal, to Marina Rubicon, Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. This is my first real sail getting to know my Mini.
On Nov. 18th I then race with five other entrants 3000 miles to Antigua and Barbuda in the Caribbean. I am the only one in the ‘SENIORS’ Class. I LOVE TREKKA and watching 170 builders in 27 countries preparing to race their Minis around the world, or around the bay is very cool!
How and why did we get to be running three around the world races and launching the fastest growing Mini Class in the world?
I have no idea. Other than that, they are all things I want to do as a sailor and I am not that different from many sailors around the world.
How will it all run while the boss is away?
Well, you may be surprised to learn that while I am very hands on with event development and concepts, there is actually a succession plan for all events for the future. Every event is now bigger than me! We have a growing level of acceptance and understanding of the principal concepts of these races. The GGR, OGR and MGR are very unique in their simplicity and drive forward through the passion of all involved. The A team knows what they are doing! All events run on a four-year cycle and we are already locked in with forward planning until 2031!
I look forward to seeing you all in Boot Dusseldorf show late January 2022! McIntyre Adventure will be exhibiting and I am sure I will have a few holiday stories to tell. Work life balance is important and everything I do has to be fun, or why do it. That is the policy of the ‘A’ team as well. Whatever you need, call them! See you soon and thanks for joining the ADVENTURE.
We will set sail at 12:00 UTC this coming Sunday, 31th of October from Lagos, Portugal. You could follow the Globe 5.80 Transat website here and live tracker here. The start will also be on Facebook page here. Class Globe 580 Transat Latest Update Video could check here.
Oh and yes, I have two satellite phones on TREKKA… just in case they need to call. Life hey!!
