Offshore sailing legend Jimmy Cornell has announced a new multi-year flotilla that will take participants around the American continents, along with the Arctic and Antarctica.
“I’ve sailed at high latitude in the Arctic and Antarctic and noticed that recently, cruising and sailing to high latitudes has become more popular among long-distance sailors,” Cornell said during a Teams call. “This year, in 2024, three Exploration 45s that I conceived had successfully completed the Northwest Passage.”
Cornell designed the Exploration 45 sailboat and he had previously sailed on one to Antarctica and the Arctic. “I said, ‘What is the possibility of combining these two extreme destinations into one voyage?’ And this is how the High Latitude Challenge was born.”
A press release for the challenge went out in early December and by the end of the year, 27 captains had signed up. The team at Cornell Sailing in the United Kingdom will review applications to determine that a boat and its crew are eligible based on seaworthiness of the vessel and experience of the captain and crew.
Cornell, who launched the first Atlantic Rally for Cruisers about 40 years ago, said one thing that will set apart the High Latitude Challenge is that it is not structured as those events.
“Cornell Sailing is providing the framework and the concept,” he said. “This time, because it’s a more challenging route and with the logistics, it’s turned into a rolling event. You can join when you feel like it and you leave when you feel like it.”
Initial respondents have said they want to start and finish in Cherbourg, France, but others will likely be taking off from Newport, R.I., Honolulu, Hawaii and Mar del Plata, Argentina.
Cornell Sailing will provide information on yacht clubs, yards, marinas, etc., but it will be up to participants to decide if they want to sail together. “We put the ball firmly in their court,” said Cornell. “We’re attracting experienced sailors.”
Participating vessels will need to have insurance for high latitudes and for search and rescue. The rally will start in 2026 and the route will cover 25,000 miles. Cornell expects the full course to take about two years to complete with boats averaging about 1,000 miles per month. Captains will need to take into account when would be the best time to sail through Antarctica, which is January and February, while the best weather window for the Northwest Passage through the Arctic is July and August. They also will need to watch tropical storm seasons.
Participants will need to pay a subscription fee, but entry fees hadn’t been determined as of mid-December because Cornell didn’ t have sponsorships in place yet.
He did say that he will be quite realistic with captains who might have less time at sea. “If I know that someone is not experienced enough, I will recommend that they stick to the easier legs,” said Cornell. “It’s the challenge of the route and it’s a challenge of achieving something on your own.” Sailors interested in checking their eligibility for the rally can send an email to info@cornellsailing.com.