With five days to go, 16 solo skippers are completing their final preparations in Les Sables-d’Olonne before the 2026 McIntyre Golden Globe Race starts on Sunday, 6 September.

The fleet faces around 30,000 nautical miles of solo, non-stop and unassisted sailing without GPS or modern navigation electronics. At the Vendée Globe Marina, final safety checks, provisions and farewells now dominate the countdown to an anticipated eight months at sea.

The latest preparations follow the fleet’s arrival and the SITraN Challenge Prologue, covered in our previous Golden Globe Race 2026 report from Les Sables-d’Olonne.

Golden Globe Race 2026: final countdown schedule

  • Thursday, 3 September, 08:00 UTC: scheduled GGR Window Live marina broadcasts begin across eight participating boats.
  • Thursday, 3 September, 10:30 CEST: final public press conference at the École des Pêches with all 16 entrants, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Jean-Luc Van Den Heede.
  • Saturday, 5 September: official farewell for the skippers in Les Sables-d’Olonne.
  • Sunday, 6 September, 14:00 CEST: Parade of Sail begins; the yachts leave the marina at two-minute intervals from 14:30.

First Green Cards issued after final safety inspections

Israel’s Daniel Pinsky received the first 2026 GGR Green Card, followed by Ireland’s Pat Lawless. The Green Card confirms that the skipper and yacht have completed the required safety, administrative and compliance checks and are cleared to start.

“After years of dreaming and eight months of intense preparation, I’m now officially cleared to start one of the greatest adventures in sailing. It’s exciting, it’s humbling, and it gives me extra confidence knowing that both the boat and I are ready.” — Daniel Pinsky
Daniel Pinsky celebrates receiving the first Golden Globe Race 2026 Green CardIsa Rosli aboard the OE 32 Olleanna after passing the Golden Globe Race safety inspection
Daniel Pinsky receives the first 2026 Green Card (left), while Isa Rosli celebrates passing inspection aboard the OE 32 Olleanna. Images: Rob Havill / GGR2026 and JJ / GGR2026.

Safety inspections are complete for 13 of the 16 entrants. The final three have equipment matters outstanding, and race officials expect to finish their checks within 48 hours once the required items arrive and are verified. Medical, security and crisis-management briefings are complete, with one final departure briefing scheduled for Friday.

Eight months of provisions and emotional farewells

Fresh food and final stores are being carried aboard for a voyage expected to keep the sailors alone at sea for about eight months. Swiss skipper Étienne Messikommer has prepared roughly 250 days of food for his Tradewind 35 Bernard, illustrating the planning required before the fleet leaves land behind.

Family members and friends are arriving from around the world for the closing celebrations. The Captains’ Dinner on Thursday evening brings together entrants, officials and partners before Saturday’s official farewell and Sunday’s departure.

Étienne Messikommer with 250 days of provisions for the Golden Globe RaceThe 16 Golden Globe Race 2026 skippers wave during the official farewell
Étienne Messikommer with around 250 days of provisions (left) and the 16 skippers greeting the public in Les Sables-d’Olonne. Images: Eloise G. / GGR2026 and Rob Havill / GGR2026.

Two generations of winners at the final press conference

All 16 entrants are scheduled to attend the final pre-start press conference at 10:30 CEST on Thursday, 3 September. They will be joined by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, winner of the original 1968 Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, and Jean-Luc Van Den Heede, winner of the 2018 edition. The event is open to the public and will be streamed through the official race channels.

Persistent headwinds prevented Sir Robin’s historic yacht Suhaili from reaching the marina, but he is continuing to Les Sables-d’Olonne by road. Visitors will still see the race’s heritage afloat through Bernard Mauviel’s large radio-controlled models of Suhaili, Joshua and Teignmouth Electron.

GGR Window Live and a cassette-recorded documentary

Scheduled GGR Window Live broadcasts begin from the marina on Thursday at 08:00 UTC, rotating across eight participating yachts. The one-way system can transmit video and selected boat data ashore while preventing messages, weather information or navigational assistance from being sent back to the skippers.

Every entrant also carries a dedicated cassette recorder for a planned six-to-eight-part international audio documentary. The recordings will preserve the sailors’ voices, emotions and the raw sounds of life at sea throughout the circumnavigation.

Sunday, 6 September: 16 skippers begin the adventure

The Parade of Sail starts at 14:00 CEST on Sunday. From 14:30, the 16 yachts will leave the Vendée Globe Marina at two-minute intervals and begin the 30,000-nautical-mile journey around the world.

Golden Globe Race 2026 fleet sailing off Les Sables-d’Olonne during the SITraN Challenge Prologue
The GGR 2026 fleet sails off Les Sables-d’Olonne during the SITraN Challenge Prologue. Image: JJ / GGR2026.

The statistics underline the challenge: 43 sailors started across the three previous Golden Globe Race editions, and only nine finished.

What is the McIntyre Golden Globe Race?

The McIntyre Golden Globe Race is a solo, non-stop and unassisted circumnavigation sailed in approved traditional production yachts. Competitors navigate with sextants, compasses and paper charts rather than GPS and modern electronic aids. The 2026 race is the fourth Golden Globe Race and the third edition of the modern era.

Race updates, skipper information and public-event details are available on the official Golden Globe Race website. The 2026 event also supports the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), which researches treatments for neurological conditions.