Congratulations from Rodrigues, Zac - You did it !!!

Zac mit 16 (links) und Zac mit 17 (rechts)

Ein Jahr, ein Monat und zwei Tage....- Geschafft!
One year, one month and two days... - Mission accomplished...He DID IT!
Wieder heil zu Hause und Weltrekord!!!

Zac hat es geschafft, nach 13 Monaten und 2 Tagen erreichte der 17 Jährige (Geburtstag 29.11.) bereits letzte Woche am 16. Juli seinen Heimathafen Marina Del Rey in Kalifornien. Er ist damit nach dem Australier David Dicks jüngster Weltumsegler. Dicks, bei Ankunft nach 8 Monaten 18 Jahre und 41 Tage alt, hielt den Rekord seit November 1996. Regelmäßigen Besuchern des Rodriguesblogs ist Zac kein Unbekannter, denn seit seinem unfreiwilligen Abstecher in Rodrigues im November, haben wir immer wieder von ihm berichtet.

Zac did it - he arrived after 13 months and 2 days already last week on July 16 in Marina Del Rey - world record, as he accomplished his mission to sail around the world as youngest circumnavigator ever, although he took more time than his Australian predecessor David Dicks who held the record after 8 months since November 1996 at age 18. Regular visitors of the blog know about him, as since his unvoluntary stop in Rodrigues last November, we have dedicated him several postings.

Read here what happened before he had to be pulled in to Rodrigues by our local National Coastguard, after Zac's mother had alerted the Tourism Office...

"Worse was the day that, in gale force winds, the forestay rigging, which holds the forward sail and helps secure the mast, tore loose and the furler banged out of control, smashing parts of the bow. The forestay also supports the mast, so Intrepid was at extreme risk. With the furler drum loose, Sunderland could only partially furl the forestay's genny, which whipped violently in the wind, tearing at lines. He worked feverishly through two days and nights atop a slippery deck and secured the situation as best he could. " (source here)

Zac in Mauritius where he met his father who came with spare parts for repairs...

Lisez ici en francais

Tour du monde en solitaire : Zac l’a fait !

Zac Sunderland, un jeune californien de 17 ans - qui, nous vous l'avions révélé le 11 novembre dernier, avait été récupéré au large de l’île Rodrigues après une panne survenue à son bateau - est entré dans l’histoire jeudi dernier. Zac, après 13 mois en mer à bord de son sloop de 36 pieds, l’Interpid, est, en effet, devenu le plus jeune marin à avoir accompli un tour du monde en solitaire.

L e jeune homme avait quitté Marina Del Rey le 14 juin 2008 et a fêté son 17e anniversaire en mer au large du cap de Bonne Espérance. Le précédent record était détenu par un jeune Australien, Dad Dicks, qui avait accompli cet exploit en novembre 1996 alors qu'il était âgé de 18 ans.

C’est l’Office du Tourisme de Rodrigues, alerté par e-mail par la mère de Zac qui avait déclenché l’opération remorquage par la National Coast Guard basé à Port-Mathurin. Interrogé en exclusivité par à Ile Maurice Tourisme Infos, Zac Sunderland – qui est parti de Los Angeles le 14 juin dernier – devait dire sa joie et son soulagement d’avoir été récupéré par les Rodriguais. (Lire l'article)

Il devait, par la suite, passer quelques semaines à Maurice en attendant qu’une pièce importante de son bateau puisse arriver ici pour réparations.

L’océan Indien conservera une place importante dans l’histoire de cette traversée en solitaire. Il avait, en effet, sur les conseils de son père – avec lequel il est resté tout le temps en contact par téléphone satellites échappé miraculeusement à des pirates.While Zac made headlines around the world, even the Pravda reported last week about Zac's arrival, another youngster is on his way to claim the title soon...

"While Zac Sunderland plods slowly north off Baja California, less than 300 miles from home after a 13-month around-the-world odyssey, Mike Perham, his British counterpart, has entered the Panama Canal. Tale of the tape: Both sailors are 17. Zac is a few months older, though, so not long after he becomes the youngest person to sail alone around the world, Mike is expected to complete his journey and claim that distinction.

Zac's trip is not well-funded. He's on a smaller (36-foot), older, much slower boat. Mike's journey is fully sponsored. He's aboard a 50-foot racing yacht whose sails might be worth as much as Zac's entire vessel. Mike left England months after Zac left Marina del Rey and were it not for a series of boat issues he'd have easily beaten his Yankee rival to the record. Mike is due home in early August.

Fighting words: Zac and Mike are not friends and Mike recently issued a statement on his blog that could be perceived as being directed at Zac:

"Usually cruising boats making this trip up from New Zealand or Australia would use their engine during these light conditions to make good progress -- but due to the nature of my trip, which is to sail around the world, I haven't and I won't use the engine to push me even one nautical mile around the planet.... Using my engine wouldn't be right or fair!"

Zac has used his motor, sparingly, he says. He used it while trying to escape the path of a presumed pirate vessel bearing down on him in the Indian Ocean. He used it while backtracking to a Mexican port to beat the predicted arrival of an advancing hurricane. In a March 8 blog post, he wrote about motoring during a long windless period, which clearly was picked up by Mike's camp.

When Zac entered port recently in Puerto Vallarta, his motor had 400 hours of use, which seems insignificant considering the duration and length of his excursion. Said harbormaster Dick Markie, whose port is used to prep sailors for circumnavigations: "You get into positions where you have no choice; that's the reason there's a motor on the boat."

Charlie Nobles, executive director of the American Sailing Assn., added: "At the end of the day, the challenges are not whether you sit for an extra day or two [in no wind] and don't use your motor, it's all the other stuff you've been through, so I don't think you can really say that diminishes it."

Zac assured in an interview that Mike has used his motor too, "while sailing through storms and stuff." Beyond that, though, Zac refused to comment critically. (read more here)

We are sure that Zac will enjoy being home, looking back and sharing special moments of the last 13 months with his family and friends. What Zac has achieved in terms of experience, stamina and motivation was extraordinary and can't be taken away, that is what counts. And we, we are just grateful to have been part of the Zac pack for a while and we are looking forward to hearing what comes next...So congrats from Rodrigues!

Photo credits : Jen Edney and Zac's Blog - In our archive you will find some entries about Zac (November 08, December 08, May 09)

- Auch in der dt. Presse finden sich Artikel zu Zac: Ein 16jähriger segelt um die Welt & Jüngster Weltumsegler steht kurz vor Rekord,

- More articles about his arrival you will find in the Los Angeles Times and here you will find a couple of articles, videos and interviews. another AP article here

- About Zac and Mike Perham, his British counterpart

- French source here