Race around Cape Horn

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Of the five southern capes, the best known are the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Horn. Ultimately, though, Cape Horn is the most famous and storied of the two. It means something to sailors to "double Cape Horn" much more than Cape Leeuwin in southwestern Australia, for example. Before the Panama Canal, international trade that moved by ship from the west coasts of South, Central and North America went around the Horn. The mariners on these vessels were "Cape Horners."

Now French Volvo Race winning captain Lionel Pean, in association with the Nautical Society of Saint-Tropez, the Turkish offshore Racing Club and the cities of Saint-Tropez and Istanbul, has announced a new race called the Drake & Horn 1616-2016 Regatta. Participants will start the race at Saint-Tropez in the Mediterranean, they will sail into the South Atlantic Ocean to Cape Horn and  then head back north, re-enter the Med and finish at Istanbul. The fleet will consist of schooners and sailing super yachts. 

Pean wrote in a press release:  "Long time ago I had the dream to be a Cape Horner and the winner of the round the World Race. Some years later with my blue and green L’Esprit d’Equipe I have rounded the legendary Cape Horn then with my great team won the 1985/1986 Withbread Round the World Race, now Volvo Ocean Race.

"Since often I sailed on magnificent Schooners and SuperYacht, heritage from the past or state of the art in new technology but often without any sailing history. These boats are ready for oceanic adventure but to enter the legend they needs to tell the world a story.

"I‘m sure that owners of legend yachts old ocean racing ones or new ones, captains and crews share my dream to see their boat racing in the Drake Passage, becoming Cape Horner and finally write an unforgettable page in their logbook.

"If you’re feeling adventurous, follow me and together we will write a new chapter in the great history of yachting and will make your boats and our story unforgettable for the 400 year Jubilee of Cape Horn and Drake Passage discovery."

By Ocean Navigator