2nd July 2003 - "Sailing Around the World" by Helen Bentley
BT GLOBAL CHALLENGE ROUND THE WORLD YACHT RACE
29 September 1996 to 17 July 1997
With the support of BT as the Title-Holder, the 96-97 Global Challenge was launched. Challenge Business built more yachts and refitted the existing ones to enable a fleet of 14 to race around the world.
Working with BT and the Yacht Sponsors, the route was changed to better meet their commercial needs, whilst still racing the wrong way across the Southern Ocean.
The Fleet set off from Southampton to Rio, then to Wellington, New Zealand via Cape Town. After a short leg to Sydney the Fleet raced across the Southern Ocean to Cape Town. From there they raced to Boston, USA before the final transatlantic crossing to Southampton.
Again, the Race was a huge success with many thousands following its progress around the world.
Report of Helen's presentation to come, SOON
The Race was won by "Group 4", skippered by Mike Golding.
Overall race results
1st
Group 4
161 days
2nd
Toshiba Wave Warrior
163 days
3rd
Save The Children
165 days
4th
Motorola
165 days
5th
Commercial Union
167 days
6th
Global Teamwork
169 days
7th
Nuclear Electric
171 days
8th
Ocean Rover
171 days
9th
3Com
171 days
10th
Pause To Remember
172 days
11th
Courtaulds International
173 days
12th
Heath Insured II
174 days
13th
Concern
174 days
14th
Time &Tide
176 days
Ocean photographs are by kind permission of PPL Photo Agency who retains copyright.
www.pplmedia.com
In 1996 Jon Nash of PPL Photo Agency flew to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to shoot the arrival of the BT Global Challenge yachts on the first leg of the around the world race. When the opportunity came up to participate in the next leg of the race – Rio to Wellington - Jon jumped at the chance. He joined the crew of the race favourite Nuclear Electric and documented the 42-day, 6600-mile adventure as an active crewmember and photographer. The harrowing voyage, rounding Cape Horn and crossing the freezing Southern Ocean en route to New Zealand, turned out to be one of the hardest and most demanding shoots Jon Nash has ever undertaken.
