GGR2026 🇫🇷 Three groups, which route to the doldrums? | Simon Curwen | Analysis #2
September 19, 2026 · 35 min · 2K views
What this video covers
The 2026 Golden Globe Race fleet has exited the Bay of Biscay and is currently navigating the North Atlantic toward the Canary Islands and the Cape Verde archipelago.0:08 The fleet has split into three distinct groups, with Damien Guillou and Pat Lawless leading the pack. Several entrants are managing technical failures: Célim is diverting toward Morocco due to SSB radio transmission and reception issues, while Guy deBoer has docked in a marina to address structural damage to a chainplate.0:19 Louis Robein, sailing a Biscay 36, has resolved issues with his Hydrovane self-steering system but reports low food supplies. Other competitors, including Matt Woodside and Gunnar, are approaching the Canary Islands. Strategists suggest that the optimal route toward the Doldrums involves passing the Cape Verde islands to the west before heading south toward 27 or 28 degrees west longitude to catch the southern trade winds. Navigators must also prepare for the South Atlantic high-pressure systems, which may require a southern route near Trindade Island to avoid the light winds encountered in previous editions.
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