KOCHI: Ace sailor Commander Abhilash Tomy (retd) is back to what he does best. He is now sailing alone in a UAE-flagged boat ‘Bayanat’, attempting to cross the English Channel to cover a distance of 2,000 nautical miles to qualify for this year’s Golden Globe Race (GGR).
“Everything feels normal for me. I am back to my routine as I now sail solo. I need to cross the English Channel and reach Spain and sail back to qualify for GGR,” Abhilash told TNIE over the phone from ‘Bayanat’.
It was in the 2018 edition of GGR, the most challenging solo and non-stop circumnavigation race in the world, that Abhilash suffered a grievous spinal injury. “This time, the race is more challenging as no modern equipment can be used for navigation. I am thrilled to be back in the waters,” the 43-year-old added.
After the qualifying round, the race will begin from Les Sables-d’Olonne in France on September 4. Abhilash has been sponsored by Bayanat, an Abu Dhabi-based geospatial, data analytics and AI company.
After recovering from the injury, Abhilash has been training hard to compete in the 2022 edition of GGR. In the 2018 accident, his yacht SV Thuriya was damaged after getting caught in rough seas and powerful winds in the southern Indian Ocean.
A severely injured Abhilash held on for 70 hours before rescuers arrived. He had to undergo a two-day surgery after he was rescued and brought to India. Abhilash is the first Indian to circumnavigate the globe (solo, non-stop and unassisted), achieving the feat in 2013 on board his previous boat, Mhadei.
Before starting his latest solo voyage on Friday, he tweeted: “The Bayanat and I leave today for the 2,000 nautical mile qualification passage.”