Amidst marquee events, Mini Globe Race sailors prepare for their final offshore miles

As winter hits its halfway mark across North America and the northern hemisphere, and as the mainstream sports world has been focusing on big things, namely the 2026 Winter Olympics (AKA the Milano Cortina Games) and (at least in the USA) Super Bowl LX, it seems fitting to revisit the smallest event in the offshore sailing world.

The Mini Globe Race, which was created by Don McIntyre (who also created the recent Golden Globe Race and the Ocean Globe Race), began on February 23, 2025 on the waters off of Antigua and saw a starting fleet of 15 singlehanded sailors from eight countries embark on a six-leg circumnavigation adventure aboard Globe 5.8 one designs (many of which were home-built), each measuring just 19 feet, bow to stern.

While this circumnavigation race passed through the Panama Canal and north of Australia, thus avoiding Cape Horn, Cape Leeuwin, and the windswept Southern Ocean, it rounded the Cape of Good Hope (Leg 3 stretched coastally from Durban to Cape Town), and it has crossed a heck of a lot of brine.

Remember, unlike the recent Jules Verne Trophy record that skipper Thomas Coville and his crew set aboard the maxi trimaran Sodebo Ultim 3 (40 days, 10 hours, 45 minutes, and 50 seconds), Mini Globe Race sailors are doing plying these miles alone aboard boats that carry less waterline than a J/70.

Ponder that for a New York minute.

As of this writing, the Mini Globe Race fleet has now sailed from the Caribbean through the Panama Canal, across the Pacific and Indian oceans, around the Cape of Good Hope to Cape Town, and across the South Atlantic to Recife, Brazil, where they are currently recovering, making repairs, and acquiring provisions.

The final leg (ballpark 2,500 nautical miles), which is set to start on Thursday, February 19, will take the fleet back to Antigua, thus completing a full, 23,500 nautical-mile lap of our lonely planet. (N.B., this mileage was even greater for the sailors who first participated in the race’s 3,000 nautical mile qualifier, which stretched from Lagos, Nigeria, to Antigua.)

While 15 sailors began racing, four skippers were unfortunately forced to stop racing along the way.

A glance at the leaderboard (which tallies the results from Antigua to Cape Town) reveals that Renaud Stitelmann, sailing aboard his Swiss-flagged Capucinette, is leading the hunt, followed by Daniel Turner, sailing aboard his Australian-flagged Immortal Game, and Keri Harris, sailing aboard his British-flagged Origami.

North American interests are being represented by Seattle’s Joshua Kali, who is racing aboard Skookum, and who is currently sitting in eleventh place.

Canada’s Dan Turk, who had been racing aboard his Little Bea, was forced to abandon racing in Fiji due to health issues.

While there have been many impressive stories from this race (read: small boats versus massive swaths of brine), one recent report caught my attention.

The fleet stopped in St. Helena, en route to Recife from Cape Town. While there, Jasmine Harrison, who is racing aboard her British-flagged Numbatou, and who has a distinguished resume as an open-water swimmer, attempted to become the first swimmer to circumnavigate the island (ballpark 31 nautical miles).

While Harrison ultimately had to end her swim—after more than 18.5 hours in the water—a single mile shy of the finishing line thanks to cold temperatures and an uncooperative sea state, this is a downright impressive venture given that she spent the greater part of the year leading up to this challenge sailing aboard a tiny boat, not swimming (or even walking).

As mentioned, the remaining eleven skippers are set to depart Recife next Thursday for Antigua and the finishing line of an event that will no doubt leave indelible (and hopefully wonderful) marks on their lives.

Sail-World cheers these intrepid skippers in their bold, small-boat endeavor, and we wish them all safe and successful passage to Antigua and beyond.

If taking on massive oceans aboard small boats resonates with you, I’ll note that the pre-notice of race for the McIntyre Mini Globe Race 2029, is now available on the race website, where interested parties can also buy plans to build a Class Globe 5.8 or follow links to brokerage boats.

May the four winds blow you safely home.

by David Schmidt