What is the Mini Globe Race?
The Mini Globe Race 2025 is a sailing challenge that will circumnavigate the globe – but there is a twist. Competitors will be racing in handmade yachts that are just 5.8m in length! Participants need to show at least 2,000 miles of ocean sailing experience on any boat, before submitting an application for an invitation to compete. Once their entry is approved, the entrant has 12 months to launch and sail their Globe 5.80.
The race will begin in November and December 2024 in Lagos, Portugal with a 3,000 mile qualifying leg to Antigua before the formal start of the global challenge on 23 February 2025. Competitors will then sail around the world in a westerly direction, starting on in four legs via the traditional trade wind route. Estimated arrival date back at Antigua is 23 March 2026.
Flying the Flag for Just One Ocean
Flying the flag and supporting Just One Ocean in this incredible year long challenge, is Adam Waugh. We spoke to him about the race and what it means to him.
“I am currently working as a free lance skipper and sailing instructor in and around the UK. I worked in mainstream finance for most of my working life but became very disillusioned and started looking for something new. Over the extent of my life I have done a few different things including working as classically trained musician, riding as a racing jump jockey and running a small diamond mine in South Africa. Taking up ocean racing aged 60 does not seem like too much of a big deal!
I got married, again, two years ago and had plans to sail around the world with my wife. Sadly she did not take to sailing life so hence I am sailing round the world on my own. I heard about the ClassGlobe 580 through a friend and watched the progress of builder who like me, had no boat building experience and very limited DIY skills, build his boat from home and go on to sail it across the Atlantic. When I discovered there was an around the world race planned for the ClassGlobe 580 it sealed the deal for me. What could be more exciting than to build your own boat and sail it around the world. The Mini Globe Race will be the smallest boats ever to have raced around the world. All the boats are identical although building your own is not a condition of entry. I bought the timber and started to build in February 2022. Two years later I launched Little Wren in Amble Marina, Northumberland.
The race will take just over a year starting and finishing in Antigua. There are expected to be around 15 entrants from all over the world. The route is westward via Panama, Tonga, Darwin, Mauritius, South Africa, St Helena and back to Antigua. There are about 10 stops during the 24,000 mile race. I am hoping to attract some company sponsorship and also to support causes that are important to me. I hope to see some amazing sights in the oceans that I cross and want all future generations to have the same experience. Supporting Just One Ocean will help promote awareness and hopefully provide donations to the charity.”
Watch this Space for Regular Updates
Adam was really keen to do some research for us along the way, but the limitations of storage in such a small vessel in terms of equipment and material was always going to be difficult. Instead we have asked Adam to provide us with regular updates throughout his trip. This will include his thoughts on how the ocean has changed, what he is experiencing and how he feels, along with some observational recordings as he goes along. We think it will be a fascinating trip and we will be publishing his updates to the website so you can follow his incredible journey.
