Commander Abhilash Tomy (retd) made history as the first Indian to complete the Golden Globe Race, finishing in second place after spending a grueling 236 days alone at sea in his sailboat Bayanat. The race, which started on September 4, 2022, from the French port of Les Sables-d’Olonne, included 16 sailors from 11 countries. South African sailor Kirsten Neuschafer also made history by becoming the first woman to win the race, a solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the globe without using any modern technological aids.
According to the organizers, Ms. Neuschafer officially became the first woman to win a “round the world race by the three great capes, including solo and fully crewed races, non-stop or with stops, and the first South African sailor to win a round-the-world event” after almost eight months of sailing.
Congratulating Cdr. Tomy on his remarkable achievement, Navy chief Admiral R. Hari Kumar noted that it was particularly special given that the naval veteran had suffered a critical injury during a storm while competing in the race in 2018. Despite his spinal injury, Cdr. Tomy insisted on participating in the Golden Globe Race for a second time, according to Admiral Kumar.
The historic race is being held to commemorate the world’s first solo, non-stop circumnavigation undertaken by Sir Robin Knox Johnston of the U.K. in 1968. Cdr. Tomy is the only Indian to have completed a solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the globe in 2012-13, covering 53,000 nautical miles under sail.