The inaugural Global Solo Challenge 2023-24 seeks to be a budget-friendly solo, non-stop race around the world. For boats from 32 to 55 feet with an IRC rating below 1.370, a pursuit start over 11 weeks begins in A Coruña, Spain, with the first boat to return deemed the winner.

In this report by Dave Proctor, he highlights some of the heroes from the world of solo sailing:

When I previously shared my list of heroes from the world of solo circumnavigation and who would be in my own hall of fame, the first person to read it prior to publication was the founder and organizer of the GSC, Marco Nannini.

“You haven’t even mentioned my childhood hero. Yves Parlier, for example,” he opined.

Of course not, he was not one of my top five heroes and that list was my ‘hall of fame.’

“Okay,” I immediately retorted, “so who would you nominate?”

Now I should explain that Marco is an experienced and successful offshore racer in his own right, having completed a crewed circumnavigation in the Global Ocean Race 2011-12. This was a five-stop race for Class40 yachts and his yacht, ‘Financial Crisis’ finished 2nd Overall.

He has also completed the Route du Rhum, came 2nd in the Round Britain and Ireland race, and won the 2009 OSTAR for solo sailors in class IRC3. In 2012, Marco was awarded the prestigious Italian Sailor of the Year award and is a recipient of the Italian Medal for Merit.

Given that Marco has the experience and I am, merely, a…