Patron: HRH The Princess Royal, Princess Anne President: Sir Robin Knox-Johnston Vice-President: Jean Luc Van Den Heede
Officers of the IACH:
Chairman: Archie Fairley - chairman@capehorners.org
Deputy Chairman: Peter Waring
Secretary: Jeremy Message - secretary@capehorners.org
Treasurer: Andy Clarke - treasurer@capehorners.org
Membership Secretary: Pippa Cockhead - memsec@capehorners.org
Webmaster: Bob Bradford - webmaster@capehorners.org
Journal: Jan Cambrensis - journal@capehorners.org
Archivist: Chris Roche - archive@capehorners.org
Regalia/Shop: Lisa Marie Wood - woodlisa _ marie@hotmail.com
International Membership: Marco Nannini - international@capehorners.org
Events: Debbie Hadwen - events@capehorners.org
International Members: Captain Dilip Donde, Stan Honey, Tapio Lehtinen, Roger Nilson, Skip Novak
Hall of Fame & Register Coordinator: Barry Pickthall
Asst. Register Coordinator & Researcher: Andrew Halcrow - register@capehorners.org
Sailing News in Brief
World Sailing Awards 2025
The 2025 Rolex World Sailors of the Year were France’s Charlie Dalin and Switzerland’s Justine Mettraux. Dalin won the men’s award after triumphing in the Vendée Globe aboard Macif Santé Prévoyance, while Mettraux earned the women’s award as the fastest female competitor in the race, finishing eighth overall on Teamwork–Team SNEF. www.sailing.org/awards/
Globe40 2025-26
The 2nd edition of this race started on 14th September in Cádiz, Spain. Ports include Mindelo, Réunion Island, Sydney, Valparaiso, Recife and finally Lorient. It's for Class40 (double-handed) multi-leg circumnavigation, ending in Lorient in April 2026. Both Belgium Ocean Racing and Crédit Mutuel broke the Class40 24-speed record multiple times in Leg 2 making 457 miles in 24 hours. The fleet is currently making its way across the Southern Ocean. www.globe40.com
Golden Globe Race 2026
The 4th edition of this singlehanded, non-stop, ‘retro’ style circumnavigation starts on Sunday, 6th September 2026 with a window for boats to start until 13th September 2026. Qualifying voyages are being completed among the 29 sailors from 12 countries have signed up so far. These include two women skippers and the race’s first Gen Z entrant www.goldengloberace.com/
Worldstar 2026
Organised by the Royal Western Yacht Club, here is a new round the world race. This is a solo or double-handed circumnavigation for boats 35-60ft. It starts at 1200hrs BST on Saturday, 26th September 2026 from Plymouth UK and sails via the three Great Capes www.rwyc.org
Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 2025-26
The 14th edition of this fully crewed multi-leg circumnavigation started 31st August 2025 and finishes in July 2026. The fleet completed the Atlantic crossing from Puerto Sherry, Spain to Punta del Este, Uruguay and faced challenging conditions through the ITCZ. The current leg sees the yachts heading from Punta to Cape Town, approx. 5,300 nm. www.clipperroundtheworld.com
The Tall Ships Races 2026 (24th June-2nd August)
Youth sail training – at least 50% of each ship’s crew must be aged 15-25. Format: 3 competitive race legs + a cruise in company non-competitive
passage. Host ports are Aarhus (Denmark), Harlingen (Netherlands), Antwerp (Belgium), Stavanger (Norway), Aalborg (Denmark).
The Global Solo Challenge 2027-28……………………..………………………………………….
The next GSC will be the 2nd edition. It is a solo round-the-world circumnavigation by the three great capes with a unique format. Boats will set off in successive departures starting from August 2027, from Vigo, Galicia, Spain. www.globalsolochallenge.com/
Ocean Globe Race 2027-28 ……………………………………………………………………………
Scheduled to start in Europe in September 2027. Four legs with stopovers including Cape Town, Auckland and Punta Del Este. The finish is planned for Spring 2028 in the Northern Hemisphere. www.oceangloberace.com/
Vendée Globe 2028-29 …………………………………………………………………………………..
Is it too early to talk about it here?! The 11th edition of the four-yearly Vendée Globe (it’s 40th anniversary) will start on 12th November, 2028. Many skippers and teams have already announced their intentions to compete on the IMOCA 18-metre monohulls. www.vendeeglobe.org
HOUSEKEEPING - For a number of longer-standing members, we have no email address. Without an email address, the Members’ Section of the IACH website cannot be accessed. This section hosts the Members’ Directory, the latest three journals (which are not in the public archive), the Shop, Voting for the Hall of Fame and the place where Annual Lunch bookings can be made, though not yet for 2026! Please contact the Membership Secretary so that records can be updated. Membership of the IACH is only £20 p.a. Please encourage potential members to join us!
The clubhouse facilities of the Royal Ocean Racing Club in St James, London, and in Cowes, Isle of Wight, may be used by members. Proof of IACH membership is required. An acceptable method is to email your request copying in the IACH Chairman and Secretary. On arrival, please have your IACH membership card available. For lunch, dinner and overnight stays, be sure to book in advance. Check the details at www.rorc.org ………………………. To book the London Clubhouse, email house@rorc.org For the Cowes Clubhouse, email cowes@rorc.org …………………..
2025 Cape Horner Journal
Rule 69 Blog is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support Magnus Wheatley’s work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber via https://rule69.substack.com/
Video link to the Awards ceremony
Volunteer Opportunity
Do you enjoy detail, organisation, and uncovering stories as you go? We’re looking for a volunteer to create and maintain the index for our twice-yearly Cape Horner. The role involves noting key events and dates, names of people and vessels, and more, along with page and issue references. It’s a rewarding way to support the association, deepen your knowledge and make our shared history easier for everyone to explore.
If you can spare a little time and like work that really matters to the association, we’d love to hear from you!
Send an email to Editor Jan: journal@capehorners.org
Check out the full list of circumnavigators registered to date at www.capehorners.org/circumnavigation-registers/
Moving house? Using a different email address? Changing your journal preference from paper to pdf? Do you want to get involved, remotely or otherwise? Please login to the website www.capehorners.org to make any changes or simply email the appropriate committee member.
And as it’s nearly Christmas … ⛄
1) Why don’t pirates ever play cards?
2) Why was the anchor so calm?
3) Why did the lighthouse apply for a job? Answers on p45
Follow Velvet Lady’s travels at https://velvetlady.wordpress.com/
See the entire route: https://www.noforeignland.com/boat/velvetlady
Which of the sea areas in the Shipping Forecast is named after the captain of HMS Beagle? Formerly known as Finisterre, this name of this area was changed in 2002 to commemorate Vice-Admiral Robert FitzRoy, who commanded the Beagle from 1831 to 1836.
Answer: FitzRoy.
Help Preserve the Legacy of the Cape Horners!
Archivist Chris Roche holds original IACH journals from Britain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, America plus some editions from Sweden, France, the Netherlands and Germany. We’re looking for a volunteer to scan these historic treasures so that members worldwide can enjoy them in PDF and flipbook format.
Preserve maritime history
Share rare journals with the global community
Make a lasting contribution
Interested? Step aboard and help us bring the Cape Horners’ story into the digital age! Contact Chris archive@capehorners.org
KUDOS to BT Global Challenge 2000-2001 skippers Will Carnegie (Veritas) and Mark Denton (BP Explorer) for organising a 25th anniversary reunion for 295 Cape Horners & friends in Southampton in September. As Mark said, ‘It was a fab day and night for sure!’
Answers for p34: 1) Because they were always on deck. ☺
2) Because it was well-grounded. ☺
3) It wanted to shine in public service. ☺
Have you heard…?
In 2026, the Royal Navy plans to reintroduce traditional sail training by chartering a tall ship – the Pelican of London, giving hundreds of junior officers and sailors hands-on seamanship experience under sail — something not seen in decades.
Clipper Round the World Yacht Race Wins Event of the Year
At the 2025 British Yachting Awards in London on 28th November, the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race was honoured with the prestigious Event of the Year award. This recognition, decided by thousands of public votes, highlights the race’s unique place in global sailing culture. For more than 30 years, it has opened the world of ocean sailing its joys and its rigour to thousands.
The IACH is an international association. Wherever you live in the world, dear reader, email and tell us something about the sailing awards presented in your country. We want to know!
