The Crewed Race Around the World

For more than fifty years, crews have left the safety of harbour to race across the world’s most demanding oceans. They have faced towering Southern Ocean seas, tropical calms, broken masts, damaged keels, exhausting watches and the unforgiving passage around Cape Horn. The Crewed Race Around the World tells the complete story of this extraordinary sporting tradition, from its adventurous beginnings in the 1970s to the professional, digitally tracked and foil-assisted competition of the modern era. It follows the legendary skippers, pioneering women, record-breaking yachts and international teams that transformed a daring circumnavigation into one of sailing’s greatest tests. Along the way, the book explores the rise and disappearance of the giant maxis, the development of specialist racing classes, the importance of stopover cities, the revolution in weather routing and communications, and the constant struggle to balance speed, safety, innovation and cost. Comprehensive, independent and written for both committed sailing followers and general readers, this is the story of the boats, people and decisions that shaped the ultimate crewed ocean marathon. Disclaimer: This is an independent historical work and is not authorised, sponsored or endorsed by any race organiser, governing body, yacht team, sponsor or trademark owner. All event, team, yacht and company names are used solely for factual, historical and descriptive purposes. All trademarks remain the property of their respective owners.