| The Global Challenge is a round the | | | | Yacht Pause to Remember, skippered by |
| world yacht race run by Challenge | | | | Tom O'Connor, suffered a snapped boom |
| Business, the company started by Sir | | | | half way between Sydney and Cape Town. |
| Chay Blyth in 1989. Held every four | | | | There seemed no choice but to fly their |
| years, it takes a fleet of one-design | | | | trysail until crewmembers Graham Phelp |
| (or matching) steel yachts, crewed by | | | | and Matthew Reeves took on the challenge |
| ordinary men and women who have paid to | | | | of trying to repair it by using a cut |
| take part, round Cape Horn and through | | | | out section as a splint. Two days later |
| the Southern Ocean where winds can reach | | | | a shortened boom emerged from below |
| 70 knots. The fee for the next race in | | | | decks and was successfully attached to |
| 2008 was L28,750. It is unique in that | | | | the mast. Three weeks later and having |
| it takes the westabout route around the | | | | suffered several storms with wind speeds |
| world against prevailing winds and | | | | in excess of 50 knots, Pause to Remember |
| currents - often referred to as the | | | | sailed into Cape Town, with boom still |
| ‘wrong way’ route. | | | | intact. |
| The route of the race covers a distance | | | | This race featured an extra leg to |
| of some 29,000 nautical miles | | | | Boston and a crew of disabled men and |
| (54,000km). It has changed to | | | | women took part on “Time & Tide”, |
| accommodate different ports of call, but | | | | the first to sail round the world. |
| in 2004/5 started from Portsmouth (UK) | | | | Mike Golding dominated, winning five out |
| and stopped at Buenos Aires (ARG), | | | | of six legs in Group 4 with Andy Hindley |
| Wellington (NZ), Sydney (AUS), Cape Town | | | | winning the remaining leg in Save the |
| (SA), Boston (USA) and La Rochelle (FRA) | | | | Children . Three skippers had graduated |
| before returning again to Portsmouth. | | | | from being crew volunteers four years |
| The event claims the motto “The | | | | earlier: Andy Hindley; Mark Lodge; and |
| World’s Toughest Race” and is the | | | | Simon Walker. |
| ultimate sailing adventure for amateur | | | | BT Global Challenge 2000/1 |
| sailors. | | | | On 10 September, a new fleet of 72ft |
| The official charity for the races is | | | | steel cutters made their debut in this |
| Save the Children and the race patron is | | | | race. The winner, Conrad Humphreys and |
| HRH The Princess Royal. | | | | crew on LG Flatron , won four of the six |
| After failing to secure a title sponsor, | | | | legs. |
| the company went into administration on | | | | Quadstone collided heavily in a port and |
| 9th October 2006 placing the future of | | | | starboard incident with Save the |
| the race in doubt. | | | | Children in Wellington, NZ, and |
| Background | | | | Quadstone retired from this leg. Skipper |
| The seeds of the race were sown in Sir | | | | Alex Philips later resigned. Both boats |
| Chay Blyth’s previous sailing | | | | had to be extensively repaired in New |
| exploits. In 1970/71 he became the first | | | | Zealand. [citation needed] |
| person to sail alone round the world | | | | For the first time the race was scored |
| westabout in the yacht British Steel. | | | | on points, with equal points for each |
| The practicality of training people who | | | | leg, though combined elapsed times are |
| had never sailed before was demonstrated | | | | shown here for comparison. |
| during the 1973/74 Whitbread Race, when | | | | Global Challenge 2004/5 |
| Blyth had raced Great Britain II with a | | | | The same fleet of 72ft yachts sailed |
| crew from the Parachute Regiment. | | | | again in the 2004 race, and Australian |
| Subsequently he ran charters for paying | | | | skipper Andy Forbes won in BG SPIRIT . |
| crew. | | | | Once again, though the overall safety |
| The design philosophy for the identical | | | | record of the race was very good, |
| yachts used on the Global Challenge | | | | medical emergencies did unfold, most |
| races was forged by Sir Chay Blyth’s | | | | notably onboard yachts 'Imagine It. |
| longtime associate Andrew Roberts. It | | | | Done.', 'Stelmar', and 'Save The |
| was his idea to start from the largest | | | | Children'. In the case of 'Imagine It. |
| top-action production winch available, | | | | Done.', only an extraordinary combined |
| which would in turn dictate sail area, | | | | effort of several yachts within the |
| displacement and size. He also oversaw | | | | fleet, the doctor onboard (Dr Roche), |
| the build of the two fleets of steel | | | | and the efforts of the Westpac Rescue |
| cutters used in the four races to date | | | | team saved the life of John Masters |
| to designs by David Thomas and Thanos | | | | Specifications of the Challenge 72 |
| Condylis (Challenge 67) and Rob | | | | one-design |
| Humphreys (Challenge 72). | | | | The current 12-strong race fleet of |
| British Steel Challenge 1992/3 | | | | Challenge 72-footers was developed from |
| The first race started from Southampton | | | | the Challenge 67s and was specifically |
| in September 1992 with 10 identical 67ft | | | | designed to be strong, safe and |
| boats sailed by a skipper and 13 crew. | | | | seaworthy in even the worst conditions |
| There were a number of serious rigging | | | | and to be self-sufficient for long |
| screw failures in the Southern Ocean and | | | | periods at sea, with enough fuel and |
| British Steel II was dismasted in | | | | water to take their crews safely to a |
| mid-Southern Ocean, but managed to | | | | distant port. The yachts were also |
| motorsail safely to Hobart under jury | | | | designed to be relatively easy to sail |
| rig. She was re-rigged in time to rejoin | | | | and handled by crews who are not |
| the race for the next leg to Cape Town. | | | | professional. |
| The winner of the first race was John | | | | Length overall: 72ft (22m) |
| Chittenden and crew in Nuclear Electric | | | | Length of waterline: 61ft (19m) |
| . Chittenden went on to win the 2001 | | | | Air draught: 95ft (29m) |
| Yachtsman of the Year Award. | | | | Draught full load: 10ft (3.05m) |
| BT Global Challenge 1996/7 | | | | Displacement (half load): 40 tonnes |
| An expanded fleet of 14 Challenge 67 | | | | Ballast: 12.5 tonnes |
| yachts set out from Southampton in | | | | Sail area (windward): 2,825ft m2 |
| driving rain and gales. Again rigging | | | | (262.5m2) |
| problems struck in the Southern Ocean | | | | Sail area (downwind): 4,020ft m2 (373m2) |
| and Concert was dismasted. Skipper Chris | | | | |
| Tibbs and crew made a jury rig and | | | | Water capacity: 390gal (1,775lt) |
| motorsailed to Wellington, New Zealand. | | | | Fuel capacity: 475gal (2,150kt) |
| Concert was re-rigged in time to start | | | | Hull: 50A mild steel |
| leg 3 from Wellington to Sydney and was | | | | Deck: Stainless steel |
| 2nd on the Sydney to Cape Town leg. | | | | |