‘A true test, both human and maritime’, says solo French skipper Damien Guillou of the 2026 Golden Globe Race

Returning French favourite Damien Guillou talks solitude at sea and switching from highly technical offshore racing to raw adventure, plus his biggest lessons from the 2022 Golden Globe Race. Here's how he's preparing to set off again in 2026.

Damien Guillou has quite the offshore pedigree.

He’s been an IMOCA boat captain (he prepared Jean Le Cam’s boat for the 2016 Vendée Globe and Kevin Escoffier’s Imoca PRB in 2020), and was co-skipper with Violette Dorange in the 2023 Transat Jacques Vabre, not to mention the seven Solitaire du Figaros under his belt and several transatlantic races.

With all that high-speed, high-tech offshore sailing, why the Golden Globe Race?

‘The Golden Globe Race represents, for me, the very essence of ocean sailing: commitment, simplicity, and the skipper’s total responsibility when facing the sea,’ Guillou explains.

‘After many years of highly technological offshore racing, I felt the need to return to a more raw adventure, where the sailor, the boat, and the elements are at the centre.

He considers the GGR, ‘a true test, both human and maritime.’

‘It’s the toughest race in the world,’ he says in his introductory video for the upcoming GGR. ‘It may even be harder to finish a Golden Globe Race than a Vendee Globe.’

With a sparkling offshore CV and solid industry backing, not to mention the highest profile refit in the race (around £300,000) for his PRB-sponsored Rustler 36, Guillou was a favourite in the 2022 edition.

Following three self-steering failures, he was forced to retire just after Cape Town.

Now he’s back (on special invitation, nonetheless) to finish what he started.

Guillou was drawn to the GGR by the adventurous, long-haul nature of the race and its smaller boat sizes.

Yet switching from high-flying IMOCAs to the “retro” GGR boats came with a change of pace.

‘The biggest adjustment was accepting the relative slowness and inertia of the boat. In IMOCA sailing, everything is immediate. In the GGR, you have to think long-term and accept isolation, without any means of communication.’

He considers this prolonged solitude no cause for concern.

‘Isolation is an integral part of the project,’ Guillou explains. ‘I do not fear it, but I respect it.’

‘Psychologically, it’s something quite special you can’t quite experience on land, where it’s impossible to isolate yourself like you do in this race. There’s always some contact.’

The race, ‘allows you to discover and know yourself much more than you expect. Being in situations like this lets you really know how far you can go in terms of fatigue, stress, fear, and emotions, and that’s something that’s extremely interesting to know and to experience.’

Guillou’s early retirement from the 2022 GGR came with some key learnings.

‘The 2022 edition taught me humility and patience. I understood the critical importance of managing the boat and equipment over the long term, and the value of consistency rather than short-term performance,’ he reflects.

Entering 2026, his biggest concern is, ‘A major failure, especially on essential systems such as the steering or the rig. In a race like the GGR, even a minor issue can become critical if it is not anticipated or managed quickly.’

In 2022, a mount failure on his Hydrovane self steering system forced Guillou first to return to port just two days after departure. He restarted, six days and some 700 miles behind the fleet.

Then, he conducted an on-board repair of a broken starboard screw/axle windvane attachment to the transom of his Rustler 36 while off Brazil, using spares he had onboard.

Two days after leaving the Cape Town photo gate, just before entering the Southern Ocean, Guillou’s windvane failed a third time.

Without the necessary spares onboard, he decided to return to Cape Town and retire from the race, rather than continue in Chichester Class, in which sailors who make one stop or access their emergency electronic equipment can keep sailing without being eligible for the trophy.

This time around, ‘My priority will always be to preserve the boat. Early sail reduction, choosing a comfortable angle rather than speed, and accepting to lose ground if necessary.’

His strategy will be to, ‘Sail more conservatively during key phases, better anticipate wear and tear, and be even more disciplined in managing energy and sleep.

In heavy weather, surviving cleanly is always better than pushing too hard.’

While he has yet to declare a vessel for 2026, his choice of boat will prioritise, ‘reliability, robustness, and seakeeping in heavy weather.’

‘I am looking for a simple, sound, well-balanced boat whose limits I know perfectly,’ he says, one which combines, ‘structural condition, preparation potential, and suitability to my way of sailing.’

‘Structure, rigging, steering systems, and self-steering are the top priorities. I leave nothing to chance—the devil is in the details.’

His technical preparation, too, will focus on ‘absolute reliability.’

Guillou is giving equal weighting to his personal race preparation.

He continues to train his celestial navigation and works to make the calculations faster and more reliable, even in difficult conditions.

‘Physically, I work on endurance, resistance to fatigue, and injury prevention,’ he says.

‘Mentally, I train for solitude, decision-making under fatigue, and accepting uncertainty. I also spend a lot of time at sea, sailing solo, to stay connected to my sensations.

I know there will be more difficult phases, so I prepare for them by establishing a daily routine, simple objectives, and solid personal reference points,’ he says.

He’s most looking forward to, ‘The start, without hesitation. That moment when everything fades away and only the boat, the sea, and long time remain.’

His other expected highlight is what most sailors name as their main concern. Guillou says he’s also most looking forward to, ‘The vast Southern Ocean spaces, where sailing takes on an almost timeless dimension.’

Quick facts: Damien Guillou

Sail Plan? 

A simple and robust sail plan, with few sails, but well sized to last and cover a wide range of conditions.

Furler or hank on?

Furler, where they add safety and reduce fatigue, without unnecessarily complicating the system.

Self-steering set up?

A mechanical windvane self-steering system of the Hydrovane type.

Antifouling?

A proven antifouling suitable for long-distance sailing and a wide range of water temperatures. However, the real issue is not so much hull fouling as barnacle growth. Whatever the antifouling, they tend to attach during long periods of light winds in warm waters. You have to accept going into the water to remove them.

Three unexpected items you’ll take onboard: 

1. My house slippers, to keep my feet warm during cold periods, as long as I can keep them dry.
2. A small children’s inflatable beach dinghy, in case I need to work on the hull or the windvane in calm conditions or sheltered waters.
3. Insect repellent sprays, in case of an invasion of gnats on board, which can happen even in the middle of the ocean.

 

 

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The post ‘A true test, both human and maritime’, says solo French skipper Damien Guillou of the 2026 Golden Globe Race appeared first on Yachting Monthly.