World Odyssey 25 Embarks on Transatlantic Voyage: A Journey of Dreams and Discovery
Under a clear sun and steady trade winds, the crews of the World Odyssey 25 set sail from Lanzarote on Saturday, November 29th, embarking on one of the most iconic legs of their round-the-world journey: the Atlantic crossing. This significant stage symbolizes their commitment to a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. After years of dreaming, months of preparation, and weeks of sailing from their home ports, they are now united in this new chapter, destined for Barbados by mid-December.
This second edition of the Grand Large Yachting round-the-world rally is already notable for the diversity of its participants’ backgrounds and experiences:
- Representing 11 nationalities, including first-time participants from Mauritius, Bulgaria, Argentina, Venezuela, and Finland.
- Featuring new sailboat models, including the Outremer 52 and the Garcia Explocat 52, as well as Alofi, which will follow the Southern route.
- Several participants transitioning directly from the Nordic Odyssey, such as Yolo (Outremer 55), Kairos (Outremer 55), and Franny (Outremer 52), who will exchange the cold northern European waters for warmer seas.
- The Garcia 52 Salavida will join the fleet in Polynesia, after completing half a circumnavigation with the GLYWO 500, naturally bridging the first and second editions of this rally.
The crews are expected to benefit from stable trade winds throughout the crossing, which can be tracked via the Yellow Brick application. The organization team will welcome the fleet in Barbados from December 12th to celebrate this first major milestone of the rally, followed by a period of independent sailing in the Antilles.
The World Odyssey will then continue its journey across the oceans, with the following destinations on the horizon:
- The Panama Canal in March.
- For Alofi, committed to the Southern route, the passage of Cape Horn in early 2026.
- The Galapagos Islands in April, followed by the Marquesas and Tahiti in June 2026.
World Odyssey 25: Months of Preparation
The crews participating in the World Odyssey 25 are supported in their dream of sailing around the world by the Grand Large Yachting teams for several months. Enrolled in the rally for the most part for two years, they have followed a dedicated training program:
- Webinars: Led by the rally team, these regular webinars aimed to address and pace the various stages of preparation. Topics included boat preparation, the list of spare parts to carry, crew preparation, and the search for crew members.
- World Odyssey University: During a week in April, the crews gathered in Lorient to discuss safety at sea, boat maintenance, and life on board. This was an opportunity to get to know each other and listen to the advice of those returning from a similar adventure.
- Meetings with participants from the first rally, the GLYWO 500: In addition to their presence in Lorient, the crews of the first World Odyssey were involved and responsive at all stages of this preparation. They were also present for the pre-departure from La Grande Motte for final, welcome exchanges, and to reassure the crews about the departure.
- Additional training with Escale Formation Technique: Finally, most of the World Odyssey 25 crews chose to refine their preparation by attending training sessions at Escale Formation Technique, the Grand Large Yachting group’s training center. “Engine Maintenance,” “Safety and Survival at Sea,” and “Medical Long Cruise” are the most popular sessions within the community.
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