Gorka Rozas from Ortuella in the Basque Country, Spain, is the 23rd entry in the Global Solo Challenge. He sails a Northwind 40, an emblematic boat in Spanish yachting, produced by the Angus Pimrose shipyard. The same boat that had two of the people who taught him everything he knows, Unai Basurko and José Luis de Ugarte.
Interview
Where does your passion for sailing come from?
I am a pupil of Unai Basurko.
What lessons have you learnt from sailing?
Humility and self-sufficiency.
What brought you to like single-handed sailing?
The enjoyment.
What prompted you to sign up for this event?
The opportunity to complete the challenge and finish in first position.
How do you plan to prepare for this event?
Testing the boat and training until the day of departure in the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic Ocean.
What do you think will be the biggest challenge?
The Southern ocean.
Tell us about your boat or the boat you would like to have.
The Northwind 40 is an emblematic model of Spanish yachting, it left the Angus Pimrose shipyard in the year 74, the ninth of the first 12 built.
Designed for the Admirals Cup and winner of the Fasnet with Bruce Banks in its category.
The same boat that had two of the people who taught me everything I know, Unai Basurko and José Luis de Ugarte.
Do you intend to link this personal challenge with a social message?
We plan to involve schools in the Basque Country to follow the event in the classrooms and thus learn a sense of responsibility towards the oceans from a young age.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I will give it my all and enjoy the race from the start.
Sailing experience
I have been sailing since childhood.
About The Boat
Boat name: Geldi-Geldi
Sail number: ESP2
Model: Northwind 40 (Angustia Pimrose)
Year built: 1974
Group: TBA
LOA: 40
Displacement: 10,500 kgs
Upwind sail area: TBA
Downwind sail area: TBA
Global Solo Challenge: a unique format
The format is unlike any other round the world solo sailing event and will make it fair and exciting for the Skippers as well as easy and engaging for the public and sponsors to follow:
A wide range of boats can enter – 32 to 55 foot.
Boats will be grouped by performance characteristics and set off in successive departures over 8 weeks.
Once at sea, there are no classes. All boats will be sailing the same event. The faster boats will have to try to catch up with the slower boats, the pursuit factor creating competitive interest aboard and a fascinating event for the public and sponsors.
The first boat to cross the finish line wins. The performance differential between the boats is taken into account in staggering the departures, eliminating the need to calculate corrected times.
All entries will have a chance of winning – dramatic from beginning to end
It will feel quite daunting and emotional to be among the first skippers to set off. Equally it will be nerve wracking for those with a long wait before their departure.
The last skippers to set off will have to keep cool waiting for their turn to start the chase.
The faster boats will need to sail fast and well to make up for the head start given to the slower groups.
It will be the ultimate enactment of the tale of the tortoise and the hare, with steady cruisers being chased by performance thirsty skippers on faster boats.
Who will cross the line first?
Text and Image courtesy of Global Solo Challenge