Graham Dalton arrives in Norfolk

Graham Dalton (A Southern Man A.G.D.) arrives into Norfolk, USA to complete the second leg of the VELUX 5 Oceans © OnEdition

Having completed two legs of the VELUX 5 OCEANS, the tenacious skipper will not be able to race Leg Three but will sail to Bilbao to finish his own personal journey

At 02:57 local time (06:57 GMT) on Wednesday April 25, brave solo skipper Graham Dalton finally arrived in Norfolk, Virginia (USA), 102 days after leaving Fremantle (Western Australia), in what has been an epic battle across the planet’s fiercest oceans in The Ultimate Solo Challenge. Having now finished leg two of the VELUX 5 OCEANS, he will not be able to complete leg three within race rules and will therefore be classed ‘Did Not Start Leg 3’; Dalton will not be classed as a finisher in the VELUX 5 OCEANS 2006-07. However, after a journey that has captured the imagination of sailing fans and people from all over the world, the determined skipper will still sail back to Bilbao to complete his own personal journey and a monumental solo circumnavigation that is a testament to his character and conviction.

It is a devastating blow for the experienced yachtsman, who was hoping to finish the race in memory of his son Tony, who died of cancer in 2005, and complete the daunting challenge following his retirement from the last race in 2002, when he dismasted after rounding Cape Horn. Sailing onboard an Open 50 yacht, named in Tony’s honour, Dalton’s race has been plagued by onboard problems that have caused him to make no less than six pit stops around the world. Whilst at sea, A SOUTHERN MAN AGD showed great pace but was battered by extreme weather and strong winds that would have tested the nerve of the hardest of competitors.

Speaking from Norfolk, a philosophical Dalton commented, “The fire still burns very strongly within me. On the one hand, I am just pleased to be here, but at the same time very unhappy. Five or six weeks ago I was only 3,000 miles from Norfolk and I was set to come in around 1,000 miles ahead of Robin. Not to start leg three is pretty disappointing quite frankly, but that’s the situation. I can’t do much about it, I just have to manage it and do the best I can.”

“You never give up. I see it as a lack of character. I see it in yachting, I see it in other sports, where someone’s not winning, and because someone’s not winning, they give up. I see it as a heresy; I see it as a lack of character, and a lack of backbone. You have to take it on the chin, you have your good days and your bad days.”

“To complete the race is something I’ve wanted to do for 40 years and that I’ve worked towards my entire life. Not just Leg 2, but 40 years. Everything you’ve done in your life has been geared towards this. But these things happen. I’m going to Spain, I’ve said before and I’ll say again, “there’ll be snow on the Equator before I give up.” I can’t change any administrative decision, that’s a simple fact of life, but what I can change is the way I react to it. The way I react it is we will do what we have to do here, and we will reach Spain.”

Race rules state that a competitor must spend a mandatory 72 hours in Norfolk and start leg three within one week of the start gun firing. The remaining competitors left Norfolk at 12:20 on Wednesday April 18. This meant that in order to respect the 72 hour rule, Dalton needed to arrive in the Virginian city by 12:20 on Sunday April 15. Although he will now not officially complete the race, he has in fact already completed a solo circumnavigation of the planet, as his qualification for the VELUX 5 OCEANS was a solo navigation from Norfolk to Bilbao; so his arrival in Norfolk will complete the circle he started in September 2005.

Despite all the problems of leg two, Dalton still looked set to reach Norfolk in time until lady luck dealt a final blow as a storm shredded his genoa and damaged the autopilot system, meaning he had to seek port in Bermuda. Race rules also mean that competitors must respect a 48 hour time penalty for receiving outside assistance. This left nearly 600 miles for A SOUTHERN MAN AGD to cover in just over 24 hours, from Bermuda to Norfolk, in order to put him in a position to continue in the race without breaking the rules.

Commenting from race HQ, Race Director David Adams concluded, “It is such a tragic end for such a devoted and hard working competitor. Despite our sympathy and empathy for Graham’s situation, we must stick to the rules as set out in the Notice of Race and therefore class him as ‘Did Not Start’. Graham would like to continue sailing and finish the course in Bilbao and we will of course provide as much support as possible.”

“This race is called The Ultimate Solo Challenge and it truly is one of the toughest sporting events in the world, that tests us physically, mentally and emotionally. Graham’s story in this race has captured the imagination of people all over the world and we would like to thank everyone for their messages of support, which we have passed onto Graham. Completing this race in memory of his son and to address the unfinished business of 2002 was Graham’s ultimate goal. Sadly this will no longer be possible, but we should take inspiration from the dedication and tenacity he has shown, never giving up despite all the barriers and bad luck thrown at him. I hope we will see him here again on four years time and I know everyone hopes that he will one day complete The Ultimate Solo Challenge.”

Dalton’s story in the VELUX 5 OCEANS has been a rollercoaster ride of emotion, drama and plain bad luck. Yet the plucky New Zealander has never conceded defeat throughout the race, despite the incredible storms he has encountered, the damage sustained to A SOUTHERN MAN AGD and the other drama surrounding his campaign.

Graham entered the race with a new boat but no title sponsor, choosing instead to name the yacht after his son Tony, who tragically died of cancer in December 2005. He only just made Bilbao in time before race start as he had an atrocious qualification sail across the Atlantic, during which he contracted septicemia and destroyed a rudder.

Dalton missed the start of leg one because of a storm that swept through Bilbao three days before race start, damaging the spreaders on his mast, which was off the boat in the dockyard. The delay ultimately meant that Dalton missed the infamous Bay of Biscay storm that ripped through the fleet, forcing over half the fleet back to shore. He finally set off a week after the start and made good progress with the fleet, before a bearing issue with his rudder system forced his first pit stop at Porto Santos, near Madeira.

Racing hard through the Southern Ocean, Dalton’s smaller yacht kept pace with many of the 60 footers, but he was again forced to land, stopping at the remote French colony of the Kerguelen Islands in the Pacific Ocean to repair a torn headsail and re-fuel. As Dalton approached Western Australia at the end of leg one, Christmas Eve alone at sea the worst storm seen in the race, as two areas of low pressure collided and produced winds of 90 miles per hour and huge seas. A seasick and badly hurt Dalton rang home to say goodbye to his family believing he would not survive. However, he made it through and despite two stops, a smaller boat and a mainsail ripped to tiny shreds, the brave skipper arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia, in fourth place and one day ahead of Basque skipper Unai Basurko.

However, on arrival Dalton discovered that his partner Robbie had been diagnosed with breast cancer during leg one and had undergone a mastectomy. Luckily, the cancer was successfully removed and Robbie informed Graham on the docks in Fremantle as he arrived, knowing that if she had told him at sea he may have sought land and she did not want to put his dream in jeopardy. Dalton only had a short number of days to prepare his yacht for the gigantic second leg to Norfolk, Virginia, but managed to make the start line in condition.

After another strong start and impressive speeds, a fuel leak onboard ruined his food supplies and Dalton was again forced to land, this time pulling into Bluff in his native New Zealand, at the tip of the Southern Island. He re-joined the race track alongside Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Unai Basurko and entered a drag race all the way across the freezing Southern Ocean to Cape Horn. Performing well, Dalton was forced to visit the Falkland Islands to fix a problem with his headboard car.

Shortly after leaving, disaster struck when his port rudder cassette disintegrated and he limped into Fortaleza in Brazil. Whilst in port, Dalton was struck down by a severe case of food poisoning, during which time his communication computer containing all his navigation and email facilities onboard A SOUTHERN MAN AGD was stolen. Despite all this, Dalton prepared to head back out on the water but discovered on leaving that the bulb had fallen off his keel. Unable to search the marina seabed, the tenacious Dalton sets about building a new keel in a local shipyard.

Amazingly, Dalton re-joined the race on April 4 with a new keel and basic navigation equipment and looked set to make Norfolk in time for leg three, especially as the re-start was delayed by severe weather on the east coast of the United States. However, the shredded genoa and autopilot failure was the nail in the coffin for such a hero of adventurism and the wonderful dream.

Continuing onto Norfolk, race organisers will continue to provide support to Dalton, who has been such an integral part of the VELUX 5 OCEANS story and family.

Kojiro Shiraishi, SPIRIT OF YUKOH:

“I know this is the second time Dalton has taken on this challenge. I respect the spirit with which he approaches his challenge; he never gives up and tries to succeed even in the face of endless barriers.”

Sir Robin Knox Johnston, SAGA INSURANCE:

“It is very sad that Graham has had to retire from the race having got so far but given the gap that has now developed between him and the rest of the fleet it had become almost inevitable. He has struggled with problems right from the start when he had to depart Bilbao almost a week late, but when his boat was working he showed it could be very fast and competitive. Perhaps third time lucky in 2010?”

The incredible story of Graham Dalton in the VELUX 5 OCEANS:

• December 21, 2005: Son Tony dies of cancer and begins dream of sailing around world solo in new boat
• October 19, 2006: Mast spreaders damaged by storm in Bilbao, causing him to miss race start (Oct 22)
• October 27: Leaves Bilbao one week after the start but avoids the atrocious Bay of Biscay Storm
• November 3: PIT STOP 1: Pulls into Porto Santo to make repairs to rudder
• December 19: PIT STOP 2: Pulls into Kerguelen Islands to re-fuel and repair torn headsail
• December 21: One year anniversary of Tony’s death, alone at sea
• December 24: Runs into largest storm in the race and questions his survival as he is battered by 90 mph winds
• December 25: Christmas alone at sea
• January 2, 2007: FINISH LEG ONE: Arrives fourth in Fremantle and is informed that wife Robbie underwent a mastectomy for breast cancer that she discovered during the first leg
• January 14: Start of leg two from Fremantle to Norfolk
• January 27: PIT STOP 3: Pulls in Bluff (New Zealand) to replace food supplies ruined by diesel leak
• February 13: Breaks two fingers close to where his boom snapped in the Around Alone 2002
• February 21: PIT STOP 4: Pulls into Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, to re-fuel and repair headboard car
• March 14: PIT STOP 5: Damages rudder cassette and arrives in Fortaleza (Brazil)
• March 19: Discovers keel bulb has fallen off, after suffering food poisoning and all electrical and navigational equipment has been stolen, whilst in Fortaleza
• April 4: Leaves Brazil after building a new keel bulb in local yard
• April 19: PIT STOP 6: Pulls into Bermuda after shredding genoa is storm and to repair autopilot system
• April 25: FINISH LEG TWO: Arrives in Norfolk, but too late to start leg three without breaking race rules