Sailing veteran and former Indian Navy Commander Abhilash Tomy recently embarked on a gruelling challenge that will see him spend around 10 months at sea, alone on his specially designed boat.
 
The Golden Globe Race challenges participants to sail solo around the world. Sailors taking part in the 2022 race set off from Les Sables-d’Olonne in France on 4 September, and will take in a route covering 48,000km before landing back in Western France some time next summer.
 
While this challenge may sound hard enough as it is, there are also a unique set of rules that all competitors must abide by. Entrants are limited to sailing similar yachts and equipment to what was available to Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the winner of the original race that took place across 1968 and 1969.
 
This means sailors must do without modern technology such as satellite-based navigation, and while they will have access to state-of-the-art safety equipment, this can only be used in an emergency.
 
As for the boats, these must meet a series of strict criteria such as being constructed of fibre reinforced plastic, designed prior to 1988, have a hull length of between 9.8m to 11.0m, have a full-length keel with rudders attached to the trailing edge, and a minimum design displacement of 6,200 kilograms.
 Caption: The route will cover a total distance of 48,000km

However, there is nothing in the rules that stops competitors applying a design to their boats, and that’s where modern wrapping techniques come into play!
 
Tomy opted for a simple design on his UAE-registered boat, with the graphics on the side of the boat featuring the names of his loyal sponsors, including lead sponsor Bayanat, a G42 company based in Abu Dhabi that provides AI-powered geospatial intelligence solutions. The boat has also been named after Bayanat in homage to its support.
 
Graphics have also been applied for the boat’s race number, 71, selected as a tribute to 1971, the year in which the UAE came into being, as well a giant QR code for fans to scan and learn more about the boat. Incidentally, Bayanat is the first UAW-registered boat to participate in this race.
 
Such is the scale of the challenge, that fewer people have circumnavigated the world solo by boat than those who have reached the summit of Mount Everest or travelled to space.
 
However, Tomy is no stranger to such a test, having taken part in a whole series of similarly gruelling challenges in years gone by. In 2012, he became the first Indian to complete a solo non-stop circumnavigation of the world by sea, while he has also participated in global sailing challenges including the Cape Town to Rio Race in 2011, the Spanish Copa del Rey Race in 2014, and the Korea Cup in 2015 and 2016.
 
This year marks Tomy’s second participation in the Golden Globe Race. In 2018, a storm de-masted his boat and he sustained a life-threatening injury that forced him to withdraw. He had to learn to walk again, but this did not put him off returning for 2022, more determined than ever having been preparing himself mentally and physically over the years.
 Caption: Abhilash Tomy suffered a life-threatening injury during the 2018 race

“I need to complete this unfinished business; the pain of the Golden Globe Race 2018 is only motivating me to compete once again,” Tomy said. “It’s a gruelling challenge and, while I’ll be aiming to win, crossing the finish line is an achievement.
 
“The months of isolation, the physical exhaustion, the skills needed to win — this race has it all. I'm fortunate to have had the complete backing of Bayanat during my preparations and throughout the race, being a company that is both a pioneering force and a champion of progress for humankind.”
 
During his journey, Tomy will also collect water samples at various points to aid Bayanat’s studies into the presence of microplastics in the ocean.
 
Bayanat chief executive Hasan Al Hosani added: “Abhilash’s courage to take on the Golden Globe Race for a second time exemplifies the spirit of discovery and determination that Bayanat celebrates and champions every day.
 
“His values of courage and perseverance align perfectly with ours as we seek to be pioneers in AI-powered geospatial intelligence. We wish Abhilash and all his competitors a safe adventure ahead.”