Book description
In 1968, the Sunday Times organised the Golden Globe race - an
incredible test of endurance never before attempted - a round the
world yacht race that must be completed single-handed and non-stop,
going into port for repairs or supplies would mean disqualification.
This remarkable challenge inspired the daring to enter - with or
without sailing experience. A Race Too Far is the story of how
the race unfolded, and how it became a tragedy for many involved.
Of the nine sailors who started the race, four realised the madness
of the undertaking and pulled out within weeks. The remaining five
each have their own remarkable story. Chay Blyth, fresh from rowing
the Atlantic with John Ridgway, had no sailing experience but managed
to sail round the Cape of Good Hope before retiring. Nigel Tetley sank
whilst in the lead with 1,100 nautical miles to go, surviving but
dying in tragic circumstances two years later. Donald Crowhurst began
showing signs of mental illness and tried to fake a round the world
voyage. His boat was discovered adrift in an apparent suicide, but his
body was never found. Bernard Moitessier abandoned the race whilst in
a strong position and carried on to Tahiti, where he settled and
fathered a child by a local woman despite having a wife and family in
Paris. Robin Knox-Johnston was the only one to complete the race.
It has undoubtedly become the most legendary of modern stories of
men pitting themselves against the sea. Forty years on, Chris Eakin
recreates the drama of the epic race, talking to all those touched by
the tragedies surrounding the Golden Globe: the survivors, the widows
and the children of those who died. It is a book that both evokes the
primary wonder of the adventure itself and reflects on what it has
come to mean to both those involved and the rest of us in the forty
years since.
Chris Eakin is a qualified Yachtmaster and sails regularly in the
English Channel with his wife. He has been a journalist on newspapers
and in broadcasting for more than 25 years and is a presenter on the BBC
News Channel. He lives in London.
