It's been called the Mount Everest of sailing—and for good reason. Just as the world's tallest mountain beckons fearless climbers to scale its heights, the Around Alone race challenges the globe's top mariners to sail solo around the world.
More than a dozen sailors will begin their 28,800-mile voyage on September 15, setting sail from New York Harbor. The legendary race, which takes place every four years, has been expanded this year to include five legs.
Sailors will drop their anchors in Torbay, England, during their first layover. From there, they will make stops in Cape Town, South Africa; Wellington, New Zealand; and Salvador, Brazil, before arriving at their final destination—Newport, Rhode Island.
The race, which started in 1982, is expected to take approximately seven months to complete. Along the way, sailors will journey across the world's roughest waters and most-distant oceans as they battle severe weather conditions, unpredictable winds, and gigantic waves.
Despite the dangers, competitors like Tim Kent are counting down the days until they set sail, as they attempt to conquer the longest race on Earth.
"I've been working toward this for almost two years," says the 50-year-old sailor from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. "It's going to be quite something."
