And just like that, a big smile sailed up the Les Sables d'Olonne Channel—held together with titanium screws, a toilet door, sewing skills, some world-class sailing, and sheer, indomitable willpower.
On April 29, 2023, Commander (retd) Abhilash Tomy KC, NM, came second in the Golden Globe Race 2022 and created history by becoming the first Indian to secure a podium finish in a solo, unassisted round-the-world sailing race. He set out from the French port of Les Sables d'Olonne on September 4, 2022, in a boat (the Rustler 36) designed in 1980, and sailed south of the five great capes using technology and tools available only in 1968.
Two hundred and thirty-six days later he is back in the same port, having slayed his demons and finishing just about a day behind South Africa’s Kirsten Neuschäfer, who became the first woman ever to win a solo around-the-world race. Kirsten and Abhilash had raced up the Atlantic in a remarkably close match, trading first and second positions on the leaderboard quite often, without either one knowing the other’s position. Kirsten believed that Abhilash had beaten her, until she saw the huge welcoming party at the finish line.
In a video message after her finish, Kirsten said, “I can’t wait for Abhilash’s arrival. I am super excited. Abhilash has been a formidable competitor and opponent who has really, really kept me on my toes.”
What makes Abhilash’s saga so special is the storms he has weathered on the way. On September 21, 2018, when he was racing in the 2018 edition of the Golden Globe Race, his yacht (the Goa-build Thuriya) was dismasted and rolled over in a storm in the southern Indian Ocean. The storm cost him the race, and the boat, and left him with life-threatening injuries. He had to undergo spinal surgery and lives today with four titanium screws holding his spine together.
Then, fighting all odds he threw his hat into the ring for the 2022 edition. He had by then retired from the Indian Navy. After trying hard for an Indian sponsor, he accepted the generous support offered by the UAE-based Bayanat, a G42 company specialising in AI-powered geospatial intelligence. The Bayanat was given the number 71 to commemorate the year 1971, the year in which the United Arab Emirates was formed. From April 6, 2021, to March 31, 2022, the UAE celebrated the Year of the 50th, marking the golden jubilee of its formation. The UAE-flagged Bayanat’s voyage in the jubilee year made it extra special for the company and the UAE sporting world.
Compared with other participants, Abhilash had very little time to get his yacht ready and then disaster struck again. As he was making the crossing to Les Sables d’Olonne, with two other crew members, the Bayanat suffered a collision on August 15, 2022, and damaged its nose. So, between August 15 and September 4, he had to move the Bayanat to a Belgian yard and get a ‘nose job’ done. While all other competitors were putting the finishing touches to their yachts, Team Bayanat was busy salvaging their campaign from total ruin. From that low, the team and the commander made it to the starting line on time and to the finish line in style.
Even during the race, the pounding that the Bayanat took saw Abhilash salvaging gear on board to keep her ticking. When the mainsail was ripped in two, he stitched it up by hand, and when he ran out of spares for his self-steering wind vane, he converted his toilet door into a rudder and soldiered on.
Hasan Al Hosani, CEO of Bayanat, said: “We are immensely proud of Abhilash for making it this far in the Golden Globe Race, which has filled us with immense admiration. Bayanat is truly honoured to be a part of such a strong endurance display that tests human limits. Abhilash has brought tremendous joy to the UAE and the Indian community. His legacy will undoubtedly inspire generations to come.”
To end with a commendable second after all that they went through is a testimony to Abhilash’s fortitude and the unstinting support he has received from the larger Team Bayanat, including his wife and manager, Urmimala Nag; team manager Sandra Shipp; technical manager Dick Koopmans; Bayanat’s chief marketing officer Faheem Ahmed, and the Indian Navy veterans who came out in droves to support one of their own.