World ARC 2020 boats are currently at sea on route to Hiva Oa in the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia. The World Cruising Club team in Hiva Oa and in Cowes are working closely with our local agents in French Polynesia to comply with the rapidly changing requirements of the local government. Our priority is to update the skippers of the World ARC boats to ensure they can safely make landfall, and to securely lay-up their boats to facilitate repatriation.
Overnight (19th March) the requirements imposed by the local government have changed again and all yachts are now required to make landfall in Pape'ete, the capital of French Polynesia on the island of Tahiti. Further restrictions on flights and inter-island travel are being brought in, together with the need for all non-residents to repatriate to avoid additional strain on local medical services.
The World Cruising Club team are working to assist skippers with the administrative arrangements required to arrive into Tahiti, secure their boats and obtain flights. Once boats have made landfall, all crew will be required to repatriate.
Further information will be published via our website as it becomes available. However, our priority is to ensure skippers are promptly updated as the situation changes. Any new information is being sent direct to the boats via email.
It is a great disappointment for crews to have their world circumnavigation suspended due to the COVID19 virus. However, the mood amongst the crews is good after an enjoyable sail from Galapagos.
World Cruising Club Cowes office are happy to assist all skippers and their crews and kindly request that family and friends check our website first, to avoid unnecessary calls diverting resources.
World ARC 2020 SummaryThe World ARC 2020 rally has been suspended in French Polynesia due to the international response to the COVID19 virus pandemic. Nations along the route of the rally have closed their borders making it impossible to continue the rally.
Boats are now required to lay-up in Tahiti and crews will be repatriated.
It currently planned to resume the rally from Tahiti next year, unless conditions improve sufficiently quickly to resume sooner.