Double and single-handed sailing is what we love and do. And when we don’t, we dream of it. One personal dream is the OSTAR. Perhaps because of the challenge, or perhaps because of what it represents to a solo sailor.
Either way, for 14 solo sailors this dream is yet again about to turn into reality.
The sixteenth OSTAR will now be sailed in conjunction with the seventh TWOSTAR celebrating 60 years of shorthanded oceanic racing at the Royal Western Yacht Club and the 60th anniversary of the start of it all – the first and Original Singlehanded Transatlantic Race.
ROYAL WESTERN YACHT CLUB
In one week the registration entry closes and the competitors will have additional 15 days to complete their qualification.
The OSTAR fleet, together with the TWOSTAR fleet, will line up at the start in Plymouth on Sunday, May 9th for the historical race to New York.
The 60th edition is further recognised for its challenges as numerous entries are planning to compete as their qualifying passage and training for the Global Solo Challenge – the solo non-stop round the world event which starts in 2023. The GSC does not demand a race qualifier for their entries, but the rigours of the OSTAR can provide a platform for them to test themselves and their boats ahead of their global adventure.
ROYAL WESTERN YACHT CLUB
Because of its nature, sailed against the prevailing winds, the OSTAR represents a massive challenge and requires great seamanship. It is therefore a great baseline for those who can’t get enough and have the Global Solo Challenge as their ultimate target. See my post about GSC here.
Some additional entries could still join in the coming week and others may fail to qualify or line up. For the time, some figures about the current OSTAR fleet.
38.5ft median boat size. The fleet consists of yachts between 32ft and 47ft with a median at 38.5ft, in spite of the broader accepted range between 27ft and 60ft (IMOCA excluded).
0 multihulls. Although accepted by the notice of race, there are no multihulls registered at the time of writing.
1/2 OSTAR veterans. About one every two competitors have previously started at least once. Mind you, some have participated or at least started several times.
0.5 million NM. The competitors bring to the race a combined mileage of about 500.000 NM. Of which 245.000 sailed by the super veteran Mervyn Wheatley.
Here the full list of competitors and profiles.
For the time being we can only look forward to following these heroes of the seas.
And we can keep on dreaming. Maybe one day…