Recent sailing news has been filled with records and attempts. ATWOS has chosen to cover many of these attempts. Could there be record breaking fatigue setting in? Recently Magnus Wheatley wrote in Sailing Scuttlebutt, “It seems that every Tom, Dick, and Bruno have conned a sponsorship deal on some ‘man against the elements’ ticket to go and ‘race’ against a stopwatch.”

Recenly Joyon set a record, Van Den Heede looks like he will, Fossett is in progress, Geronimo has turned back around while Orange II will soon be off.

Curiously none of the three Ollier cats built for the Race (Team Adventure, Club Med/Maiden, Orange/Kingfisher) has been able to con any dollars.

Wheatley also says, “For heaven’s sake turn the stopwatch off, get together and
have a race. If records fall then great, otherwise at least the whining
stops about weather systems (the ultimate get-out) and there’s an element
of racing involved.”

Weather systems aren’t a get out/cop out, they are a reality. The faster a record is sailed the better the weather the next boat needs to break it. Chosing the right weather system and then doing so around the world isn’t a simple thing. It’s a big ask, see Geronimo’s failed Jules Verne attempt of last year. The French tri went from 2 days ahead at Cape Horn to 4 days short of the record at the finish. Less than ideal weather in the Atlantic hindered her. Weather systems matter and can be interesting.

For another perspective on records v. racing there is Ellen Macarthur. This successful offshore racer recently launched a trimaran intended soley for record breaking.

Macarthur said, “On a record attempt you are also feel a much greater sense of isolation. In a race there are other boats accompanying you. On a solo round the world voyage for example down in the Southern Ocean you are really on your own. You are also on your own tactically.” Her point is that during a record attempt you are self reliant. There’s nobody to cover or glean strategy and tactics from. Something to be said for that.

She also says, “All you can do is sail the boat at its best potential all the time and get the weather as best you can at the beginning. That’s all you can do. It’s about mental strength and hanging on in there.”

I think Weatley’s criticisms are over the top. Commerical sailing is a struggling venture. If $ are found for records, then they need to be taken. Picking and chosing sponsorship dollars aren’t an option.

Less than 10 years ago boats such as Cheyenne etc. didn’t exisit. These giant multi hulls have shattered records of all sorts. It would seem that we are in a golden type age. Someday we’ll look at these boats and their achievments and look at them as the good old days. Sometimes the good old days are right now! Why not take positive advantage of these achievments?

Neither winning an around the world race, nor setting an around the world record is easy. If they were, more would do it. Some like records, some like races. This goes for both competitors and spectators. You always have the choice to ignore Cheyenne’s record attempts and wait for the Vendee Globe or Volvo Ocean race.

I think Wheatley overstates his case. If sailors such as Peyron, Macarthur etc. chose to do records, I’ll take them over Mr. Wheatly.

From a profressional point of view there’s nothing better for providing steady online content than any type of around the world sailing. Much easier to work with an event 60 days or longer than a 2 to 5 day regata. Other sports have month long seasons where you can grab and hold interest. Round the world events help sailing do a bit of this.

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