Abhilash Tomy, a Malayali sailor, bravely navigated the ‘Everest of the Sailors,’ Cape Horn, as he closed in on the leader Kirsten Neuschafer (RSA) in the final leg of the competitive 2022 Golden Globe Yacht Race. The race is expected to come down to the wire.
On Saturday at midnight Indian Standard Time, Abhilash Tomy completed the circumnavigation of Cape Horn, the southernmost point of South America where the Atlantic and Pacific waters converge. It is stated that circumnavigating Cape Horn is the naval equivalent of ascending Mount Everest. With this, he became the second of the four sailors competing for the championship to complete the Cape Horn circumnavigation.
The female South African sailor who is leading the race, Kirsten Neuschafer, reached the farthest south on the night of February 15 itself.
Abhilash accomplished this record by overcoming all three of the world’s major Capes: Cape Leeuwin in Australia, Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, and Cape Horn in Chile. His yacht, ‘Bayanat,’ has now competed in the world’s toughest sailboat race’s last stage.
In order to catch up to the leader Kirsten as they return to the French port of Les Sables d’Olonne, where the race started on September 4 of last year, Abhilash has begun sailing at peak speed. To cross the finish line, he must still travel 6890 nautical miles (1 nautical mile is equal to 1.85 km). Abhilash is 416 nautical miles behind Kirsten. Kirsten, on the other hand, could only travel 101 nautical miles in the previous 24 hours whereas Abhilash could sail 206 nautical miles.
‘For the past few days, I’ve struggled in bad weather while keeping safety in mind. I’ll now try to sail as quickly as possible,’ Abhilash Tomy stated in a message sent through satellite phone.
In 2013, the retired Indian Navy officer made history by being the first Indian to sail solo and nonstop around the globe.
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