Aleksandr Sorokin (this image was downloaded from the athlete’s Facebook page and is being used here for representation purpose. No copyright infringement intended)
Aleksandr Sorokin breaks own 100 km world record by six seconds
Aleksandr Sorokin, ultrarunner from Lithuania, set a new 100-kilometre-world record by running the distance in six hours, five minutes and 35 seconds.
He achieved this new record at the 2023 World’s Fastest Run event in Vilnius, Lithuania, on May 14, 2023.
He improved upon his own previous world record by six seconds at this event. He had set the previous record of 6:05:41 at the Centurion Running Track 100 Mile in Bedford, United Kingdom in April 2022. In a social media post, after breaking the world record, Aleksandr said the new 100 km world record is extremely important to him as it happened in Lithuania and his family and friends were there to watch his performance. “I was promised that this run would be the fastest in the world. That’s how it was, a promise made is extremely important to me,” he said.
Parul Chaudhary (this photo was downloaded from the Facebook page of Athletics Federation of India [AFI] and is being used here for representation purpose. No copyright infringement intended)
Three new national records
A clutch of national records was rewritten over the first weekend of May 2023.
At an event in Havana, Cuba, Praveen Chitravel jumped 17.37 metres to top the podium. In the process, he bettered the earlier national record of 17.30 metres set by Ranjith Maheshwari in 2016. Chitravel achieved the record breaking distance in his fifth jump at Preuba de confrontacion 2023 with a headwind of -1.5m/s, a report on olympics.com said. According to it, the permissible wind assistance for official records is +2.0 m/s. All national records are subject to ratification by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).
With his record breaking effort, Chitravel has qualified for the World Athletics Championships 2023 due in Budapest over August 19-27. The qualifying mark for the event was 17.20 metres.
Same day, at an event in Los Angeles, USA, Indian athletes, Parul Chaudhary and Avinash Sable, overhauled national records in the 5000 metres for women and men respectively. Chaudhary who clocked 15:10:35 took down the previous national record of 15:15:89 set by Preeja Sreedharan (13 years ago at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China) while Sable improved his own national record of 13:25:65 (set at the Sound Running Track Meet in San Juan Capistrano in 2022) with a new timing of 13:19:30. Sable finished twelfth at the meet, a World Athletics Continental Tour silver event. Chaudhary finished ninth, the report on olympics.com said. According to it, Sable also participated in the 10,000 metres but registered a DNF.
All three athletes are from the Inspire Institute of Sport funded by the JSW Group, a report in Times of India said.
(The authors, Latha Venkatraman and Shyam G Menon, are independent journalists based in Mumbai.)
Abhilash Tomy (this photo was downloaded from the Facebook page of GGR and is being used here for representation purpose. No copyright infringement intended)
Abhilash Tomy has completed his voyage as part of the 2022 Golden Globe Race (GGR).
He and his boat Bayanat crossed the finish line at 04:46 hours Universal Time Coordinated (UTC), on Saturday, April 29, 2023 to place second in the race. The GGR entails a solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the planet.
In a video posted on the GGR Facebook page, Abhilash could be seen saying soon after his arrival at Les Sables-d’Olonne in France that this is the first time an Asian is securing a podium finish in a round-the-world race of any format. “ It’s a big moment for me,’’ Abhilash, a former officer with the Indian Navy, said. April 29 was the 236th day since the commencement of race on September 4, 2022. Responding to a message from Admiral R. Hari Kumar, chief of the Indian Navy, congratulating him on his achievement, Abhilash recalled the support he had received from the senior officer when in 2018 he put in his resignation because he wished to attempt the GGR and was unsure he would be able to do that through the navy. The admiral was at that time, head of HR in the navy. “ He understood the importance of GGR and he pushed the boundaries of a lot of rules to make sure that I was here,’’ Abhilash said, adding that when he had the accident in the 2018 GGR (his boat, Thuriya, was dismasted and he suffered serious injury in a storm in the southern Indian Ocean), the admiral had been in the operations room directing the rescue.
“ I am happy to have completed the circle. The stigma of losing a boat…I didn’t want to, you know, once is an accident, twice is a habit! So, I really wanted to get Bayanat back and I can tell you, Bayanat got me back,’’ Abhilash said. Asked about the impact of his podium finish in India, Abhilash pointed out how small the number of yachts in all of India was. From that backdrop, if he could think of a circumnavigation race and complete it, it meant the youngsters of India can do a lot. Comparing the two solo, non-stop circumnavigations he has done so far, Abhilash said that the INSV Mhadei (in which he did his first circumnavigation) was a big boat, one that kept you safe as long as you made sure that nothing happened to it. It didn’t demand a lot. “ But a small boat with wind pilot and no GPS is a hundred times more difficult. But at the same time, I want to say that if that circumnavigation had not happened, I would not have dreamt of coming for GGR. So, they are important in their own places but a GGR is a hundred times tougher than what I did in 2013.’’
The 2022 GGR was won by Kirsten Neuschafer of South Africa. She reached Les Sables-d’Olonne at 19:44 UTC on April 27, 2023 becoming the first woman and the first South African to win a round-the-world race. Kirsten, Abhilash and Michael Guggenberger of Austria (he is yet to finish) were the only sailors remaining in the event’s solo, non-stop category. The rest had retired or slipped to the race’s Chichester Class featuring one stopover. Simon Curwen of England, sailing in Chichester Class, was the first GGR participant to get back to Les Sables-d’Olonne with circumnavigation of the planet done. He arrived at 10:38 UTC on April 27.
(The author, Shyam G Menon, is a freelance journalist based in Mumbai.)
Kirsten Neuschafer (this image was downloaded from the Facebook page of GGR and is being used here for representation purpose. No copyright infringement intended)
Kirsten Neuschafer of South Africa has won the 2022 Golden Globe Race (GGR).
She reached the finishing line of the event at Les Sables-d’Olonne in France (from where the race entailing a solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the planet had commenced months ago), at 19:44 Universal Tine Coordinated (UTC) on April 27, 2023. In the process, she became the first woman to win a round-the-world race by the three great capes across the solo / crewed and solo / non-stop categories. She is also the first South African sailor to win such an event. Her voyage as part of the 2022 GGR included the rescue of fellow GGR participant, Tapio Lehtinen. The rescue happened in November 2022. Lehtinen’s boat had suddenly sunk in the Indian Ocean. Neuschafer was awarded the Rod Stephen Seamanship Trophy by the Cruising Club of America for the rescue.
The 2022 GGR had got underway on September 4, 2022. The first among the 2022 GGR participants to reach Les Sables-d’Olonne after a full circumnavigation done, was Simon Curwen of England. He had led the race by a considerable margin for much of the voyage before the need to repair his boat forced him to halt in Chile, relegating him to the Chichester Class (sailing with one stop) of the race. Simon nevertheless caught up with the competitors who had gone past him during the halt, overtook them and finished ahead of all at 10:38 UTC on April 27, 2023.
Checked at 17:55 hours Indian Standard Time (IST) on April 28, Abhilash Tomy of India was 78.8 nautical miles from the finish line. As per an update on the Facebook page of the event, he was expected in Les Sables-d’Olonne in the late morning of April 29. Abhilash is currently in second place.
As per information available on the GGR website, Kirsten Neuschafer (she has been ““sailing dinghies since her childhood) has been sailing since 2006, as a profession. From training people to sail to delivering sailboats, she has built a diverse set of skills and experiences, the website said in its profile on her. According to it, her longest single-handing prior to GGR was a delivery from Portugal to South Africa.
Please find below the link to a video shared by GGR celebrating the arrival of Kirsten and her boat Minnehaha in Les Sables-d’Olonne; solo, non-stop circumnavigation done. The song in the video – On the Minnehaha – has been written and performed by Lennie Gallant.
(The author, Shyam G Menon, is a freelance journalist based in Mumbai.)
Rosemary Wanjiru tops among women, Deso Gelmisa among men. Around 38,000 runners participate. Record 3033 runners get their six star medal.
The full-fledged version of the Tokyo Marathon, one of the six World Marathon Majors, was held on March 5, 2023, after a gap of three years.
Rosemary Wanjiru of Kenya and Deso Gelmisa of Ethiopia won the women’s and men’s race respectively, at the World Athletics Platinum Label race.
In the men’s race it was an Ethiopian sweep with Gelmisa crossing the finish line in two hours, five minutes and 21 minutes. His compatriot Mohamed Esa finished alongside in the same timing to place second by the narrowest of margins. Tsegaye Getachew, also of Ethiopia, finished in third position, a mere three seconds behind the lead pair.
In the women’s race Rosemary Wanjiru won with timing of 2:16:28. Tsehay Gemechu of Ethiopia (2:16:56) finished second and her compatriot Ashete Bekere (2:19:11) finished third. According to Runner’s World, this was Rosemary Wanjiru’s second career marathon and her first major victory.
Japan is among countries where running is a very popular sport. About 38,000 runners from around the world participated in the 2023 Tokyo Marathon. Included in these numbers were those running to complete their six World Marathon Majors. Runners completing the circuit of these marathon majors are awarded a six-star medal at the end of their individual sixth marathon.
The 2023 Tokyo Marathon secured place in the Guinness World Records for having the highest number of runners finishing for a six-star medal at a single marathon. According to Abbott World Marathon Majors website, 3033 runners earned the six-star medal at Tokyo Marathon. This was a massive rise from the previous high of 732 runners at the 2019 edition of the Tokyo Marathon.
Runners who had finished five of the six World Marathon Majors in 2019 had to wait for three years until 2023 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions, to complete their sixth marathon.
Returning after three years, Tokyo Marathon had mandated that runners download a health app and upload temperature details daily for a few days in the run-up to the marathon. Also, they were required to do a couple of rapid antigen tests. They were also mandated to carry their smart phones to the start line of the marathon. This rule was tough for many runners as they do not normally train carrying their mobile phones. Runners were also disallowed from carrying their own water bottles during the run. The rule impacted the hydration plan of some runners.
Another rule that did not sit well with some runners was the requirement to avoid discarding layers along the marathon route. This is possible in many international marathons. Later, the rule was partially relaxed but runners were allowed to discard layers only at the start of the run.
We spoke to a few of the runners from India about their experience running the marathon and completing the six-star World Marathon Majors.
Kavitha Reddy / 2023 Tokyo Marathon (photo: courtesy Kavitha)
Pune-based marathon runner Kavitha Reddy was to participate in the 2020 edition of the Tokyo Marathon but the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent travel restrictions put a pause on her plan of completing the six-marathon cycle.
“A major challenge was to keep up the fitness level for at least one more year,” Kavitha said. At that point in time, the pandemic was an unknown entity and the world was clueless when it would end.
Overall, the lockdown and the absence of races helped runners to focus on their strength training. “I was able to keep up my fitness level throughout the three years. The lockdown period did help,” Kavitha said.
In October 2022, Kavitha ran the Melbourne Marathon finishing in 3:07:13 and also securing a second position in her age category.
“At Tokyo, my target was to maintain the same pace as Melbourne – 4:21 per kilometre. Instead of focussing on the finish time, I decided to focus on pace,” she said.
Although there were anxieties about the various rules that Tokyo Marathon had mandated there were no hitches on the day of the marathon. “From the point of entry to the race and the finish, everything was well-organised. It is an extremely disciplined country,” Kavitha said.
As it was quite cold, Kavitha approached the start line with layers, which she discarded at the start line. “Normally, I would have discarded the layers once I am two kilometres into the race. It was cold but during the race I was zoned out about the weather difficulties. Only after I finished the race, I realised that my shoulders had frozen. I could not lift my arms,” she said.
She finished strong with a new personal best of 3:05:08.
Going forward, her focus will continue to be on the marathon. She is confident about chopping some more minutes from her time to finish but at the same time is aware of limitations to potential improvements in timing.
Ambuj Kumar / 2023 Tokyo Marathon (Photo: courtesy Ambuj)
Bengaluru-based Ambuj Kumar started recreational running as recent as 2018. A year later, he commenced attempting the six Marathon Majors with the aim of completing all six within 365 days.
For him, the year 2019 entailed a schedule that packed in many marathons. The year started with Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon in January. This was followed by London Marathon in April, Berlin Marathon in September, Chicago Marathon in October and New York City Marathon in November.
“I wanted to be the first Indian to do all six Marathon Majors in a one-year period,” he said. The plan was to do Tokyo Marathon and Boston Marathon in 2020. But that was not to be because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eventually, he completed Boston Marathon in 2022. “Two months before Boston, I contracted COVID-19. Nevertheless, Boston Marathon for me was a good race,” he said.
Ambuj ended up training for Tokyo Marathon three times – once in 2020, then in 2021 and finally in 2023.
Japan, according to Ambuj, is an amazing country. On race day, weather in Tokyo was quite cold prompting runners to wear layers ahead of the run.
“For me, it was a wonderful race. Though, my best experience was at the Boston Marathon,” Ambuj said. He finished Tokyo Marathon in 3:29:57.
Having completed his six-star World Marathon Majors, he may consider looking at distances beyond 42.2 km. In the meanwhile, he is due to run the 2023 edition of Berlin Marathon, his second time there.
Ramanjit Singh Oberoi / 2023 Tokyo Marathon (Photo: courtesy Ramanjit)
Ramanjit Singh Oberoi started casual running in 2009 when he found he had the time for it. In 2011, he heard about the Delhi Half Marathon and enrolled for his first half marathon in 2013 at the same event.
During the 2017 Mumbai Marathon, Ramanjit, 64, heard about the Boston Marathon and its stringent qualification norms. In 2018, he ran the New Delhi Marathon and qualified for Boston Marathon in his age category. This, set in motion the process to start the six-star World Marathon Majors journey.
In 2019, Ramanjit ran many races including Boston Marathon, Berlin Marathon, New York City Marathon and the Comrades Ultramarathon. After a two-year gap due to the pandemic, he did the London Marathon and Chicago Marathon in October 2022.
For Ramanjit, Tokyo Marathon went off quite well until the 34th kilometre. “After about 34 km I got a back ache and I had to take walk breaks to keep going,” he said. He finished the Tokyo Marathon in 3:40:24.
During the pandemic months, he also got into long-distance cycling, including one trip from India Gate in Delhi to Gateway of India in Mumbai and another from Delhi to Manali.
Ashoke Sharma (Photo: courtesy Ashoke)
Having lived in Japan for eight years, Ashoke Sharma, now a resident of London, was not unduly perturbed by the rules mandated by the Tokyo Marathon.
“Japan is a rule-based society but I know the psyche of the people of the country,” he said.
In 2018, Ashoke ran Berlin Marathon and in the process qualified for the Boston Marathon but he ended up doing the latter only in 2022. He followed it up with the New York City Marathon in the same year. In 2019, he completed the London Marathon and the Chicago Marathon.
In January this year, Ashoke shifted to London on work and took up residence near Kensington Park. “My training went off quite well. It was fantastic, running in the park and very safe,” he said referring to a recent incident in Mumbai when a runner was fatally knocked down by a speeding car.
In Tokyo, Ashoke suffered an ankle-twist around the 10th km mark. “Thereafter, it was tough, running. I had to walk the last 16 km. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it as it was my last one among the World Marathon Majors,” he said. He finished the marathon in 4:02:48.
Going forward, he may look at attempting a triathlon. “I am divided between focussing on the marathon and the triathlon. Now that I am based in London, I may opt to run some of the marathons in this part of the world,” he said.
Sunil Chainani (Photo: courtesy Sunil)
“In Tokyo, rules were strange but eventually everything worked out fine,” said Sunil Chainani, a Bengaluru-based runner.
He was one among the many runners waiting to finish his six-star World Marathon Majors. Some of the rules mandated by the Tokyo Marathon gave anxious moments to runners.
“We were asked to carry our mobile phones to the start line of the Tokyo Marathon. I don’t run with my phone normally,” he said adding that there were many issues such as crowded expo, cold weather and the requirement to fill out details in a health app.
Also, the course, though largely flat, had many U-turns and was constantly crowded with runners. Overall, the run went off quite well. “Japanese people are extremely helpful. There were many aid stations,” he said.
Sunil said his training for the Tokyo Marathon was inadequate. He finished the marathon in 4:22. “This was my fifth marathon in 10 and a half months,” he said. He plans to take a break from running marathons now.
He had run Berlin Marathon for the first time way back in 2008. He went back and ran the same marathon in 2018 to start his six-star World Marathon Major journey.
Pervin Batliwala / 2023 Tokyo Marathon (Photo: courtesy Pervin)
Waiting to complete the six-star World Marathon Major circuit, Pervin Batliwala, runner from Mumbai, trained quite well for the Tokyo Marathon.
Despite good training ahead of the race, some of the stringent rules mandated by the organisers of Tokyo Marathon did perturb Pervin. “The rule not allowing us to carry water bottles during the run was tough. I am used to taking gels during the run and I usually drink water after consuming gels. At Tokyo Marathon, I could not take as many gels as I had planned,” she said. Nevertheless, the overall experience of finishing the pursuit of the six World Marathon Majors and running a very well organised race in Tokyo was quite satisfying. She finished the race in 4:33:09.
Pervin had commenced her World Marathon Majors journey with her 2017 Boston Marathon race. In 2015, she ran the Comrades Ultramarathon and the next year she did the 72 km Khardung La Challenge in Ladakh.
Pervin now wants to attempt doing a triathlon and also focus on swimming events.
(The author, Latha Venkatraman, is an independent journalist based in Mumbai.)
Camille Herron (This image was downloaded from the athlete’s Facebook page and is being used here for representation purpose. No copyright infringement intended)
American ultrarunner Camille Herron sets new 48-hr world record
Camille Herron, ultrarunner from the US, set a new 48-hour world record at the 2023 Sri Chinmoy 48 Hour Festival held at Canberra, Australia from March 24 to 26, 2023.
Camille ran a distance of 435.336 kilometers (270.505 miles) during the stipulated period beating the record of 411.458 km set in February 2023 by UK’s Joasia Zakrzeski at the 2023 Taipei Ultramarathon.
Camille completed 1088 laps of 400 metres each at Canberra.
Only two athletes have covered distances more than Camille during 48 hours, both men.
Andrew Tkachuk, from Ukraine, has covered a distance of 435.466 km. Greek runner, Yiannis Kouros, holds the men’s world record of 473.495 km.
Following her record breaking-run, Camille noted on her Facebook page: “ Through all the pain, I found joy in knowing I was fulfilling a purpose in life. I had to keep going, keep pushing through every challenge and find out what’s possible…This was my 3rd try for 48Hrs. I finally got it right. Don’t give up on your goals and dreams, no matter how many times it takes.’’
Indian ultrarunners qualify for IAU 24-hr World Championships at Chinese Taipei
Several Indian ultrarunners qualified recently for the IAU 24 Hour World Championships to be held later this year in Chinese Taipei.
At a recent stadium run in Bengaluru, four male runners and two female runners qualified for the upcoming championships.
Amar Singh Devanda, Velu Perumal, Badal Teotia and Geeno Antony qualified with mileages in excess of 220 km, the qualifying mark set by Athletics Federation of India, during the 24-hour period. Amar won the race with a distance of 234 km. He was followed by Velu (232 km), Badal (223.6 km) and Geeno (222.8 km).
Among women, Shashi Mehta won the race with a distance of 196 km. The qualifying mark for women was set at 180 km. Aparna Choudhary also qualified with a distance of 180.8 km.
At the Sri Chinmoy 48 Hour Track Festival held at Canberra, Australia, on March 24-26, 2023, an additional two Indian runners qualified for the Taipei Championships. Running a 24-hour race, Ullas Narayana covered a distance of 220.636 km during the 24-hour period. Priyanka Bhatt of Mumbai covered a distance of 184.577 km during the stipulated period.
Record three finishers at Barkley Marathon this year
Barkley Marathons, a gruelling ultrarunning event held every year, typically sees few finishers or no finishers at all.
For the second time in its history, a record three athletes completed the 2023 edition of Barkley Marathons. The race is held every year in Tennessee, USA.
The three finishers were John Kelly from USA, Aurelien Sanchez from France and Karel Sabbe from Belgium. John Kelly was also a finisher in the 2017 edition of the race.
Barkley Marathons had three finishers in 2012.
The race held in Tennessee’s Frozen Head State Park is made up of five loops of about 20 miles through brushy mountains with an elevation gain of around 63,000 feet. The race is to be completed in 60 hours.
The race did not have any finishers for the past five years.
2022 Golden Globe Race / Race leaders complete their second equator crossing
The race leaders of the 2022 Golden Globe Race (GGR), Kirsten Neuschafer of South Africa and Abhilash Tomy of India, have completed their second equator-crossing of the race, this time on the way back to the start / finish line in France. GGR entails a solo, nonstop circumnavigation of the planet. On the event’s live tracker, as of March 31, Kirsten with 2840.1 nautical miles to the finish continued to be in first place; Abhilash with 3137.8 nautical miles left to cover, was in second position.
Interestingly, Simon Curwen of the UK, despite having halted in Chile for repairs and relegated thus to the race’s Chichester Class, had caught up with the race leaders and was in the same region of the Atlantic. He had 2927.4 nautical miles remaining to the finish line. Given the weather conditions known to characterise these parts, progress has been slow. It is hoped that the trio should now gradually exit the Atlantic’s doldrums.
For Gopi, a setback at 2023 Seoul Marathon
Elite Indian marathoner T. Gopi had a setback at the 2023 Seoul Marathon held on March 19. During the run, he experienced a problem in his hamstring. He finished in 26th place with timing of 2:18:53. According to him, the race was progressing well and he was maintaining a pace of around 3.12 when after the 32nd kilometre, he suddenly felt a catch in his hamstring. He had to stop, stretch and jog the remaining distance.
In January 2023, Gopi had won the Tata Mumbai Marathon in 2:16:41, signalling a return to good performance after knee surgery and months of the sporting calendar impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
(The authors, Latha Venkatraman and Shyam G Menon, are independent journalists based in Mumbai.)
Man Singh, Jyoti Gawate win 2023 New Delhi Marathon
Indian elite runners, Man Singh and Jyoti Gawate, won the 2023 New Delhi Marathon held on February 26, in the national capital.
Man Singh finished the distance in a personal best of two hours, 14 minutes and 13 seconds. He also qualified for the upcoming Asian Games for which the qualifying time set by Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is 2:15.
Jyoti Gawati defended her 2022 title, winning the race in 2:53:04 but way outside the qualifying timing for women at 2:37 set for the Asian Games.
In the men’s race, A.B. Belliappa won the silver in 2:14:15 and Karthik Kumar, the bronze with timing of 2:14:19. Both of them qualified for the Asian Games due to be held in Hangzhou, China in September-October 2023.
In the women’s race, Ashvini Jadhav won the silver in 2:53:06. Jigmet Dolma secured the bronze with timing of 2:56:41.
The race went off well for Man Singh. “I was able to get a personal best and also qualify for Asian Games. I could have done better but I continue to carry the fatigue from the Tata Mumbai Marathon, which was held on January 15, 2023,” he told this blog.
His training for the 2023 New Delhi Marathon went off well. His training was mostly in Ooty. “ The weather was very good and the route was conducive for a strong run,” he said.
Belliappa shifted to the full marathon in October 2021. In December, he had participated in the marathon in Valencia covering the distance in 2:16:51. He failed to manage the pace evenly there, he said. For the New Delhi Marathon, he too trained in Ooty. “ I trained well and had faith in my training. On race day I was able to more or less sustain a 3:10 pace throughout,’’ he said.
He nolw plans to take a brief break and then return to training, where his focus would be on the next edition of the Asian Games. According to him, the quest is to cover the distance in anywhere between 2:14 (hours and minutes respectively) and 2:13.
The 2023 New Delhi Marathon commenced at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. It was flagged off by well-known Kenyan middle-distance runner David Rudisha.
Abhilash Tomy (This photo was downloaded from the Facebook page of GGR and is being used here for representation purpose. No copyright infringement intended)
Abhilash Tomy rounds Cape Horn
Indian sailor, Abhilash Tomy, got past Cape Horn on February 18, 2023, an update on the website of the 2022 Golden Globe Race (GGR), said. He continued to be in second place. As of February 28, he was well past Falkland Islands and steadily reducing the gap between his boat and that of race leader, Kirsten Neuschafer of South Africa. The GGR entails a solo, nonstop circumnavigation of the planet.
2022 GGR / Kirsten Neuschafer is first to get past Cape Horn
A tight race is on in a remote part of the world.
On February 15, 2023, South African sailor Kirsten Neuschafer became the first participant in the 2022 Golden Globe Race (GGR) to sail past Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America and enter the Atlantic Ocean for the final long stretch home.
Abhilash Tomy of India was not far behind. He continued to be in second place and by February 18 (in India), the live tracker of the race showed him quite close to Cape Horn. However, the long voyage – the participants have been sailing since early September 2022 – along with the testing weather systems encountered therein, have taken their toll on both boats; Kirsten’s and Abhilash’s. The last storm they tackled was in the southern Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Chile. According to the race website, Abhilash had thereafter informed of a failed wind vane pendulum rudder on his boat, ` Bayanat.’ Options for repair onboard were limited. Given he had been facing wind vane issues since the Atlantic, he had used up all his spare blades and had ended up cutting the boat’s chart table to make blades.
To compound matters, during the most recent instance of wind vane trouble, his course was taking him towards the Chilean coast; he needed to make repairs in time and veer off to the path he should be on. Consequently, there were some anxious moments during which, Abhilash is said to have wondered whether he may have to seek repairs on land and thereby join the Chichester Class. Eventually, he managed to do the necessary repairs by cutting a blade from the boat’s main emergency rudder, the race website reported. Although close to three quarters of the GGR’s circumnavigation appears done by the leaders (a race update of February 7 said that 70 per cent of their voyage stood completed), a good distance still remains from Cape Horn to the race’s start / finish line at Les Sables-d’Olonne in France. Both Kirsten and Abhilash will have to manage the remaining portion of their voyage keeping in mind the state of their sail boats. The afore mentioned GGR update from February 7 had informed that Kirsten suffered a broken spinnaker pole and could no longer fly her twin headsails.
What made the race seem a tight contest by was that Austrian sailor, Michael Guggenberger, sailing in third place was also just 1100 miles away from Cape Horn as per the race update of February 16, 2023. Importantly, he had faced mostly fair weather all through, implying his boat was likely in good shape still. At the time of writing, that made for three boats not significantly apart from each other, in the vicinity of Cape Horn. With a big stretch of the Atlantic remaining, anything can happen in that pecking order.
The GGR entails a solo, nonstop circumnavigation of the planet.
(The author, Shyam G Menon, is a freelance journalist based in Mumbai.)
Bharat Pannu; from 2022 RAAM (Photo: courtesy Bharat)
It was the tenth day of his participation in the 2022 edition of Race Across America (RAAM) and things were not going well for Bharat Pannu.
He had developed a mild fever and was feeling chilly during daytime. It wasn’t a sudden onset. A vague sluggishness had been threatening to derail plans since race commencement. It wasn’t the predicament Bharat Pannu deserved. Since 2017, the ultra-cyclist had been trying to participate in and complete the 4800 kilometers-long Race Across America (RAAM). He had done the needful diligently, including crewing for the participating team in 2018 so that he would understand what went into a successful completion of the iconic race. In 2019, with much preparation done, he reached the US for his shot at RAAM. Unfortunately, he suffered an accident while cycling in the US, ahead of RAAM. It left him with a broken collar bone. His plan to race had to be abandoned.
Late 2019, the first cases of what would eventually come to be called COVID-19 were reported. By early 2020, it was a full-blown pandemic, and the world was forced to shut down. Sport went into hibernation; sporting events dried up. The year’s RAAM was cancelled. However, a major development of the pandemic phase featuring people loving the active lifestyle trapped indoors, was the spurt in virtual formats of sport. In cycling, the use of trainers (the device replaces the rear wheel of the bike and allows it to be used as a stationary bicycle that can be pedaled indoors) was already a reality. High end trainers, computers and digital apps used in combination allowed races to be simulated. RAAM debuted a virtual race. Bharat who had been training for RAAM, grabbed the opportunity. Pedaling from an apartment in Pune and enduring the challenges of covering simulated ultra-long distance from a parked bike, Bharat achieved something remarkable – covering 4086 kilometers, he placed first in his age category and third overall in the competition.
The virtual RAAM was followed by attempts to set new records, cycling along India’s highway system called the Golden Quadrilateral and the popular high-altitude road linking Leh and Manali. In both instances, he made it to the Guinness Book of World Records. Beneath the record-breaking effort, there was a niggling worry. Bharat knew that his performance could have been better. In the happiness of podium finish in virtual RAAM and new Guinness records established, introspection got postponed. Correction happened in the 2021 edition of Ultra Spice, among prominent endurance races in India. “ I did this self-supported race and had a good time,’’ Bharat said, adding that the run up to the event and the actual race gave him space to rectify the shortcomings he had noticed in 2020.
By now he was feeling good and ready for another shot at RAAM. But COVID-19 was still out there haunting the world in repeated waves of infection. Overseas travel continued to be plagued by uncertainty and the requirement for extra care and quarantine. RAAM is a supported race; every cyclist has a crew. Anyone of them falling sick would suffice to upset plans; worse, if that happens in the US or during the race, it could mean much investment wasted. For participants from India, RAAM is a costly affair. “ In 2021, RAAM didn’t appear viable to me owing to the restrictions still in place,’’ Bharat said. So, he rolled over his eligibility to participate, to 2022. Following the decision to postpone his RAAM attempt; in October 2021, he cycled in nine days from the west of India to the east – from Koteshwar in Gujarat to Kibita in Arunachal Pradesh.
Within India, events in sport were slowly regaining tempo and normalcy. Bharat had his basket of events to choose from and stay busy. But there were other developments to cope with. An army officer, Bharat’s interest in endurance cycling and his competence in the sport, was noticed by the establishment. In July 2021, the aeronautical engineer aligned with the Indian Army’s aviation wing, was transferred from Bengaluru to Ahmednagar (a major base for the army’s armored corps) and put in charge of the Indian Army’s Cycling and Rugby teams. While that no doubt ensured a scenario in which, a person’s favorite sport became the stuff of his regular work, the new responsibilities – he was now overseeing the training and performance of whole teams – may have deprived Bharat of the level of attention he should have shown himself to be in good shape for RAAM. “ I got involved in so many things,’’ Bharat said. He made the best of what his predicament offered and reported to RAAM’s starting line in California in June 2022. There was no shortage of confidence, he and his crew were looking forward to a good outing, he said.
As its name denotes, RAAM entails a ride across the United States, spanning its east-west sprawl. In races, Bharat is known for his ability to fare strongly in the second half. When in the initial part of 2022 RAAM, Bharat trailed other participants, it didn’t bother him or his crew. It seemed to fit his style and known pattern of performance. On the fifth day however, it suddenly struck home that the team may find itself in trouble. Till Durango, the progress hadn’t been too bad; the lag was manageable. Then it began to get warm impacting Bharat’s progress. Decisions were taken and a sincere attempt made to improve progress. It yielded result. The rest of day five wasn’t bad. Day six too was good. “ At this point, I was only slightly short of the average speed required to complete the race within the stipulated cut-off period of 12 days,’’ Bharat said. The turnaround in fortunes was short-lived. Four days later, on day ten, that mild fever manifested and along with it, chills, and shivering.
Bharat Pannu; from 2022 RAAM (Photo: courtesy Bharat)
Bharat’s performance started to fall. His average speed began to decline. His crew got worried. It was clear that if Bharat didn’t rest adequately, he risked damaging his health. The team decided to exit the race. It was a tough decision to stomach. “ I didn’t have any saddle sores. My fingers were fine. My nutrition was perfect,’’ Bharat said. He thinks that the initial lag may have cost him dearly. Aside from requiring him to push later to make up for the lag, it also brought him to some of the portions of the course susceptible to bad weather, just when the conditions turned bad. He got hammered. “ I now understand that you must push from day one itself,’’ Bharat said.
Another reason for his disappointing exit from RAAM in 2022, could be the deficit in training. It wasn’t as good as it was for the races, he previously participated in. And yet, it isn’t all about likely deficit either. In the best of times, to be good in ultra-cycling and fit enough for RAAM, Bharat was training at least 20 hours a week. That is three to four hours daily atop regular office work. “ For the body, office time and sleep time became the only periods for recovery,’’ he said. So, was there an element of too much done over several years, also contributing to the outcome at 2022 RAAM? That’s a tricky slope to set cyclist’s drive, on. Bharat admitted that he had been physically active and challenging his limits for a long time. He maybe in need of a break. On the other hand, too long a break may make return to form, a longer haul. On the question of returning to RAAM, he said, the mind must decide on that subject. “ All said and done, it is a race that requires a fit mind above everything else,’’ Bharat said.
(The author, Shyam G Menon, is a freelance journalist based in Mumbai. This article is based on a conversation had in October 2022. Its publication got delayed. Apologies for the delay.)
Gopi T, winner among Indian elite men at the 2023 Tata Mumbai Marathon (Photo: Saurabh Bhattacharyaa)
On January 15, 2023, at Flora Fountain in Mumbai, the camera in my phone struggled to capture the elite marathon runners passing by. That was when I noticed a man with a good camera nearby, who too was clicking pictures. Upon my asking he said he was an amateur photographer. I enquired if he would be willing to share a photo or two with this blog. Saurabh Bhattacharyaa agreed. By day’s end, thanks to Saurabh, the blog had a photo of the overall winner of the 2023 Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM), Hayle Lemi of Ethiopia, to publish alongside its main race report. However, a photo of the winner among Indian elite men, Gopi T, couldn’t be had. For its report based on a conversation with Gopi, the blog therefore went ahead with a post-race photo and a blurred image of the athlete in action, which was all my phone could manage. Saurabh though, appears not to have given up. On January 30, a fortnight after the race, he sent across a photo of Gopi that he had managed to locate in his collection. It came with the message, “ Found Gopi at last, in my folder.” A fine picture, we publish it herein, expressing alongside our gratitude to Saurabh. Thank you.
(The author, Shyam G Menon, is a freelance journalist and blogger based in Mumbai.)
Kirsten Neuschafer (This image was downloaded from the Facebook page of the sailor and is being used here for representation purpose. No copyright infringement intended)
Abhilash Tomy in second place but old injuries act up
The 2022 Golden Globe Race (GGR) took a twist recently with British sailor, Simon Curwen, who was leading, opting to enter the Chichester Class following damage to his boat’s windvane in the Pacific Ocean. With this, South Africa’s Kirsten Neuschafer has become the new race leader although she is still separated by a significant distance from Simon.
Indian sailor, Abhilash Tomy, currently in second place (after Simon Curwen shifted to Chichester Class) is not far from Kirsten. An update from January 27, 2023, available on the GGR website and which disclosed the setback suffered by Simon, mentioned that Kirsten and Abhilash are apart by just 50 miles. The race is still far from over; the participants have to cross Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America and sail up the Atlantic Ocean to Les Sables-d’Olonne in France to complete the solo, nonstop circumnavigation of the planet they set out to do.
The current edition of GGR had commenced in early September, 2022, from Les Sables-d’Olonne. It is a repeat of the original GGR of 1968-1969, in which Sir Robin Knox Johnston of the UK became the first person to do a solo, nonstop circumnavigation in a sail boat. Onboard technology levels in the 2022 GGR are pegged to near similar levels as prevailed during the first race decades ago. If the nonstop nature of the race is breached for some reason, then the participant can continue in the Chichester Class, named so after Sir Francis Chichester, who sailed solo around the world (from west to east) with one stop at Sydney, in 1966-1967. On January 30, the GGR website while confirming Kirsten Neuschafer as the new race leader of 2022 GGR, informed that Simon Curwen would be heading to Chile for repairs. The news of his opting for Chichester Class has been posted on Simon’s Facebook page as well.
Since race commencement in September, there have been drop-outs due to damage to boats and one incident of a boat sinking. There were fifteen men and one woman as participants at the start of the race. As of January 31, 2023, three men and one woman remained in the main competition with three others continuing in Chichester Class. The lone case of a boat sinking – it occurred in the Indian Ocean – had seen the current race leader Kirsten Neuschafer and Abhilash Tomy move to the aid of the stricken sailor, Tapio Lehtinen. Kirsten effected the rescue, a feat that won her the Rod Stephen Seamanship Trophy from the Cruising Club of America.
Abhilash Tomy (This photo was downloaded from the Facebook page of GGR and is being used here for representation purpose. No copyright infringement intended)
Abhilash Tomy was a participant in the 2018 edition of GGR. That time, his boat was rolled over and dismasted in a storm in the southern Indian Ocean. Besides damage to the boat, the mishap left Abhilash with serious injuries to his back. He was eventually rescued in an effort that featured maritime assets from India, France and Australia. Later Abhilash had to undergo surgery and extensive rehabilitation following which, he worked his way back through walking, to sailing and flying planes. Since retired from the Indian Navy, he returned to the GGR as a participant in the 2022 edition. The initial phase of the 2022 race was tough for him as he had to deal with the mental trauma of sailing the seas leading to the region of his 2018 accident and get past the area. Unfortunately, while in the Indian Ocean, he suffered a fall on his back and his old injuries have started acting up under the rigors of solo, nonstop sailing.
When one is alone at sea, one has to do everything aboard the boat oneself and this entails long hours of staying awake and working. The GGR website said in its update of January 30 that Abhilash – he had a recent instance of steering by hand for 12 hours during a gale – has been enduring “ back pain and numb limbs.’’ He spoke to doctors who gave him exercises to regain control of his leg; the medical team has also advised him on pain treatment. He will be resting for some days before returning to his work. However, given he won’t be racing during this time and would be sailing under reduced sail with a view to keep the boat comfortable, it may temporarily make his progress slower and the route longer than that of Kirsten.
“ Abhilash is safe and does not require any assistance and is in complete control. He knows he must rest now, so the pains do not return again. GGR is closely monitoring the situation,’’ the event website said. Abhilash is the first Indian to sail solo and nonstop around the planet in a sail boat. He achieved it in 2012-2013 as part of the Indian Navy’s Sagar Parikrama project.
(The author, Shyam G Menon, is a freelance journalist based in Mumbai.)
Outrigger 