70 year old skipper inspires a wave of support during solo round-the-world circumnavigation

70-year-old Louis Robein is racing solo around the globe, facing harsh weather and failures. Admirers now fundraise after an accident near Tierra del Fuego.

USHUAIA, ARGENTINA, April 12, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Louis Robein has already sailed 21,000 miles from Spain, solo, on his 37 ft cruiser boat. 7000 miles separate the skipper from his quest to complete a circumnavigation by the three great capes in the Global Solo Challenge yacht race..

The 70 year old skipper has conquered the hearts of many followers during his voyage. Faced with equipment failure, he showed a tenacity and perseverance that left everyone on the edge of their seats, never giving up on his dream to complete his voyage. When his autopilot broke in the remoteness of the Pacific Ocean, with no land or safe ports around him, Louis kept going, sailing over 1500 miles in very difficult circumstances, dodging storms and nursing his boat to round the legendary Cape Horn on April 5th.

His struggles, however, were not over yet. Severe weather was affecting the area with winds reaching 60 knots, forcing the skipper to wait for better conditions before he could sail up the Beagle Channel in the Tierra del Fuego to reach Ushuaia for repairs, before continuing his journey to Spain.

After two days in sustained strong winds, conditions started to improve and Louis finally turned on his engine to motor to Uhsuaia for a technical stopover. He was exhausted, after days of barely any sleep, with temperatures that had dropped below freezing point. As darkness set in on a moonless night under a thick cloud cover fatigue caused him to make a trivial navigational error that led to an accident, he ran aground and got stuck in the bay of Aguirre, in the southwestern edge of the Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.

After the accident, Louis Robein tried to free the boat but eventually found himself with no option other than to request assistance. Eventually he was towed to Ushuaia by the Argentine Navy where he immediately got on with his repairs. However, he confided the bill he would receive for the tow, approximately 15,000$, was more than just a headache as it was not covered by his insurance. He was looking for a solution, including talking to the honorary consul of France in Ushuaia, to see if he could be allowed to leave and settle the bill in installments.

His friends started working in the background and a fundraiser was created. Fellow skippers in the race launched appeals through their social media channels. The camaraderie and friendship born during the event and the warmth of the public had become a safety net for a skipper in need.

Within minutes the organisers of the Global Solo Challenge were getting donations and within 2 days nearly 500 people from all over the world had contributed over 16,000$.

Louis inspired so many with his tenacity and perseverance during his arduous journey. A humble person, a pensioner with an extremely limited budget, which in part was the reason for some of his struggles, as he could not afford to equip the boat with as many spares as he would have needed.

Unknowingly, he conquered the hearts of so many who felt helping him complete his circumnavigation is a worthy cause. When Louis was informed this morning, he didn’t know anything about the fundraiser and at first he wasn’t sure he had understood. He was left speechless, unsure how to express his gratitude. It may be snowing in Ushuaia, but his heart must have been warmed by the support of so many.

The fundraiser can now take care of the cost of the tow, Louis can sigh in relief. If you still wish to contribute to his stopover and repairs costs you can do so at the link below.

In a world with too many negative stories, Louis’ story stood out as one of immense humanity, inspiring generosity and support.

https://globalsolochallenge.com/product/louis-robein-fundraiser-en/

The Global Solo Challenge is a solo round the world circumnavigation race that strives to be inclusive and accessible, open to a wide range of boats and budgets, with a unique format that allows entrants to compete on a level field despite differences in means. The 2023-2024 edition started in Spain in September last year. 16 skippers started and more than half were forced to retire in their attempt to take on the most difficult sailing route there is. Less than 200 people have ever succeeded in completing such a journey.

Louis is last, following his technical difficulties, of the 7 skippers who have not retired. The event was won by French skipper Philippe Delamare on his boat “Mogwli”. In second place Cole Brauer made history by becoming the first ever female American sailor to succeed in completing this circumnavigation solo and non-stop.

For more information please visit the Global Solo Challenge website at https://globalsolochallenge.com

Jordan Lee
The PR Group
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