Why you need to watch the nail-biting sailing competition doc 'The Loneliest Race'
More people have walked on the moon than finished this solo round-the-world sailing race
Imagine being alone for nine months. On a sailing boat in the middle of the ocean. Without modern technology or enough drinking water. "You can't take your iPhone, you can't take your GPS, so every single tiny decision you make is down to you," says sailor Ian Herbert-Jones who participated in the 2022 Golden Globe Race, a nonstop 50,000-km solo sailing race around the world.
In September 2022, 16 sailors set off from Les Sables d'Olonne in France on small yachts to circumnavigate the globe in the world's longest and most mentally gruelling sports event. Their journey is documented in The Loneliest Race, now streaming on CBC Gem.
What happens in The Loneliest Race?
We follow their solitary journey through the calm doldrums and into treacherous storms, witnessing the intense drama as they battle broken boats, isolation and life-threatening challenges. With dramatic rescues and a nail-biting finish, you have to marvel at their sheer ingenuity and relentless determination to survive, facing the vast ocean alone.
Watch | The official trailer
What is the Golden Globe Race?
The first Golden Globe Race took place in 1968-1969. The route went through the southern hemisphere and past the three great capes: The Cape of Good Hope off South Africa, Cape Leeuwin off Australia, and around Chile's Cape Horn, crossing the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and Southern oceans.
In that first race, nine competitors set out but only one, U.K.'s Robin Knox-Johnson, finished. The other sailors dropped out and one died by presumed suicide from the stress, leaving the event under a cloud of controversy.
On the fiftieth anniversary of the original race in 2018, 18 sailors set out on the same route. They were limited to sailing with yachts and equipment similar to those used in the original race. Four years later, in September 2022, the Golden Globe Race was held again.
"More people go up Everest in a single day than have sailed single-handed around the world," says American sailor Simon Curwen in The Loneliest Race. In fact, more people have walked on the surface of the moon than have completed this race.
What equipment are sailors allowed to use?
The Golden Globe Race is considered a "retro" event. Sailors are only allowed to use yachts designed before 1988 with hull lengths of 32 to 36 feet. They must also sail without using modern electronic technology, such as satellite-based navigation aids.
They leave port with nine months' worth of food, collect rainwater for drinking and rely on the stars to navigate.
To stay on course, sailors use sextants (a tool developed in the mid-18th century) to measure the angle between two objects like the horizon and the sun or moon and compare the results on a paper nautical almanac. They handwrite their logs and determine the weather for themselves. It's a lengthy process that can take hours a day.
Some safety equipment is available. Emergency beacons and GPS trackers (not accessible to the sailors) are aboard but can only be used to request help or for race organizers to track the ship in an emergency.
Watch | Alone at sea: what could go wrong?
How do the sailors stay in touch with the outside world?
Each boat is outfitted with GoPro cameras to capture the action aboard and sailors encounter four filming opportunities at checkpoints along the way where they can be interviewed and exchange letters with family.
They can communicate via SSB (single-sideband) marine radio but discussions are limited to weather and distress calls. They can listen to ham radio but are not allowed to transmit. "I won't be able to communicate with friends and family, and being alone for weeks and weeks at a time, that's terrifying," said American Elliot Smith before he set out.
Which sailors are featured in the documentary?
Sixteen sailors set out but the action does focus on these three contenders.
Kirsten Neuschäfer, the only woman to have ever raced in the Golden Globe, is a fierce competitor whose confidence in rough waters is unmatched. "It's not a question of ticking a box or setting a record. It's something I want to do on a very personal level, like a pilgrimage," says Neuschäfer.
"The question is not what sort of a person can do this, but what sort of a mind is able to do this," says Abhilash Tomy, a former Indian naval commander who nearly lost his life in the 2018 race and has to face PTSD as he passes the point of his accident.
Sailing hobbyist Ian Herbert-Jones is looking to fulfill a personal dream but finds himself seriously injured in the eye of a hurricane and has to hold on for dear life while awaiting rescue. "The guys from Fathom Film said, 'If you're going to die, make sure you get it on camera.' That's what I'll do," he says during his ordeal.
Where can I watch The Loneliest Race?
Start watching this unbelievable journey now on CBC Gem.