11/09/2026
๐โต ๐ญ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐40, Jonas Gerckens ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐โฆ ๐๐๐
๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐!
After 7 months at sea and around the world, the Belgian skipper looks back on this second edition, filled with emotion, sporting challenges and a fantastic human adventure alongside the entire Belgium Ocean Racing โ Curium team.
But thereโs no stopping here: Jonas Gerckens and Renaud Dehareng have already pre-registered for the 2028-2029 Globe40, with a clear ambition to take that final step and go for the win. A new boat, a new preparation programme, a new routeโฆ Jonas takes us behind the scenes of this new campaign and shares the moments that left the biggest impression on him during his first circumnavigation.
๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ก๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐๐. ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ ? ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐ "๐ง๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ" ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ก๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐?
It took a while to realise that we had sailed around the world! At the end of the round the world race, it was quite a bit like talking to partners and the press and spending time with the family. I also had to get back into solo mode very quickly to qualify for the Route du Rhum. The post-Globe40 period came and went very quickly and I was able to take a break in August after my qualification for the RdR. Physically, it took a while to get back on track, I still have some small after-effects of the round the world race in terms of my knees and joints. On the other hand, the boat finished in a great state so we just put it back in solo configuration to prepare for the rest of the season.
๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ, ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ฅ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ'๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ข๐ญ?
I still feel like I'm in it with all the images I have in mind. It was so dense in a short time that when you rewind the photo album, you realize that there have been a lot of things done in incredible places. Fortunately, there are photos to remind us of everything we've accomplished! I have to make the albums now, but it's going to take time too! It will probably be on the program this winter. We realize that we went around the world and that the match with Crรฉdit Mutuel was incredible. We remember that the adventure was beautiful and that the stopovers visited were just as magical. I think I'm going to need a winter to realize everything we've been through in recent months.
๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ, ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ก๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ... ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐๐?
What I missed the most on land was simply the comfort of land! We are on boats that are far from being quiet cruising. There were a few moments when we probably would have preferred to be on land to rediscover the pleasure of a good meal and a comfortable and dry bed! It was also very pleasant to meet up with friends and family after spending 7 months away from home.
At sea, what I miss the most are the magnificent starry nights in the South Seas. The discoveries of stopovers like Valparaiso will also remain a highlight. We were constantly in the process of discovery and that's why we want to go back!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ, ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ก๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ, ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐๐?
What I remember is that we did well to go there! There is no doubt about it, we ask for more and more. The Globe40 is a perfect mix of adventures, encounters and competition. In my opinion, it is the ideal recipe for ocean racing.
I also remember the team management and mutual aid with the other crews, which was very pleasant to live with. The management of the shore team and the sailing team over 7-8 months was quite intense but exhilarating to carry out. It also allowed us to note several points to improve with a view to the next edition.
๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ - ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐๐๐ฒ ๐จ๐ซ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ข๐๐ง'๐ญ ๐ ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง?
Above all, it's pride to have finished this round the world race by holding Crรฉdit Mutuel high. After that, for sure, we replayed the scenario 10 or 20 times on the key moments when it could have gone one way or the other. It's not regrets but more points of support to improve these things in 2028. We're proud to have sailed around the world while adding a high-level sporting note.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐๐?
The Indian Ocean had been very hard and the arrival in Sydney Harbour was quite magical. I was quite moved when I arrived with the boat at the foot of the Sydney Opera House after that journey.
Rounding Cape Horn is obviously a highlight. It's a mythical and historic place โ we also had very good conditions to pass it, so we were really able to enjoy it. It's no small thing to be Cape Hornier now!
And then the meeting and the team spirit that emerged over the months spent together with hard moments and moments of euphoria too. This balance was nice to live in the long term.
๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐๐๐ก๐ง๐ข๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ, ๐ข๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ซ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐จ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐. ๐๐จ๐จ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ค, ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐?
Above all, it highlights the work of the team that is least talked about. The skippers and sailors are often put in the spotlight, but the work of the shore team is essential to make a round-the-world trip. This was even more apparent with this unwanted stopover in Valdivia. The team moved the earth and the sky to find the parts to set sail again in record time and stay in the game for the overall victory. Same thing in Recife after the damage to Cape Horn, the team got flat on its stomach in a very short time to get a boat back in 100% of its potential for the last leg. It made a big impression on me. The team had to do a monster job in 2 weeks, whereas in normal times after the Route du Rhum or Transat Jacques Vabre, the boat goes to work for several months on the same subjects. We will try to stay on the same basis of performance both on land and on the water for the future.
๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ง๐ง๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐-๐ซ๐๐ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ โ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ . ๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฅ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐ฐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ข๐ ๐ง ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐๐ค๐ฅ๐ฒ?
The first reason was that there was a common desire to go back. The race format suited us perfectly compared to other circuits. And above all, the main partners Curium and Nescafรฉ became fans of the race. They really wanted to start a campaign again, on the one hand for the adventure itself but also to grab the last step of the podium. When all the planets align, you shouldn't hesitate too long I think... it allows you to build the project well in advance with the boat and the team, and also to have time to train in Globe40 configuration. That's really what we lacked on the last one where we only had a few training sessions in our legs. The planning can be done well in advance to arrive on the starting line in the best possible condition in 2028.
๐๐ ๐จ๐๐ญ๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐๐ฒ: "๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐จ๐ง'๐ญ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐๐๐ฆ". ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ง๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ-๐ฎ๐ฉ... ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฉ๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ง ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง?
The idea is to continue with a strong Belgian connotation. We remain a Belgian team so there will be Belgian sailors. We will also probably be associated with French sailors. The transfer window is underway and we hope that the entire backbone of the team on land and at sea will be set up for the beginning of 2027 in order to start on a good basis. We can say that we should not be far from the same configuration as for the last edition.
๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ญ: ๐๐๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ฅ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ข๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐? ๐๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ฅ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ข๐๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ข๐ญ?
I can't reveal everything yet because everything hasn't been done yet. However, we can say with certainty that there will be a change of boat. We hope that the 187 will continue its journey with another skipper and why not on the Globe40, I wish him all the best! We'll be on another boat, potentially more recent, which we'll have to adapt to the Globe40's course. We'll know a little more after the Route du Rhum.
๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ฌ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐, ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐ฑ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐๐ญ?
What is essential is that before thinking about a stage victory or an overall victory, you have to finish the stages. We have seen that a retirement on a stage is prohibitive to aim for the highest steps. First of all, we will have to make our new bike more reliable with modifications that we have already validated on the first round the world race aboard the 187. We were also a little overweight on the 187 so we will have to pay attention to that in relation to the weight of the gauge.
๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐จ๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐? ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ข๐ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐จ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ?
Clearly when you finish 2nd in one edition, you want to aim for first place in the next one. We're going to prepare to go for the win. We're well aware that it's still sport and ocean racing. You never know what can happen in terms of breakage and underperformance, but you're going to plan to go for 1st place in 2028.
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ง๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐. ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐ข๐ญ?
The course is great! The basis remains the same, namely to sail around the world with stopovers. There are some magical places that have been preserved, such as the Australian leg or the Chilean leg. There are also a few new features such as South Africa or Uruguay / South Brazil, so it's always nice to discover other places. The fact that you have one less leg is also relevant, it reduces the overall timing of the race by a month. It's easier to manage with the team and the absences on land. I can see that the Globe40 is going up the laps in the same way that the crews are going up the laps in terms of preparation and performance. I hope there will be even more boats on the start line.
๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐จ ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ... ๐จ๐ซ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฐ๐ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ฑ๐๐๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ฌ?
I think it brings more serenity. We know where we're going and what to expect, so it helps in the preparation. Our preparation for 2025 has been disrupted with the collision. The fact that we are embarking on this project early will allow us to increase our training. I am serene and know what I am getting into.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐ฑ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ก๐ฌ?
It's going to be enough for the end of the season. In 15 days, I'll be in Marseille for the mixed doubles world championships with Djemila Tassin. We finished 5th in 2024 and we're going back there with ambitions to qualify for the final first and then we'll see if we can fight for the podium.
Then, I'm going to continue with a final preparation camp before the Route du Rhum, which will be my 3rd. After the Route du Rhum, the idea is to get to grips with the new boat first in the Caribbean before returning to rub shoulders with the best of the Class40 on the classic circuit between Brittany and the Azores.