Cork Harbour solo sailor Jakub Ziemkiewicz is in the final stretch of the 24,000-mile McIntyre Mini Globe Race, with less than 400 miles remaining to the finish in Antigua.
The solo sailor is racing his ALMA Globe 580 yacht BIBI on the final leg from Recife, Brazil, to the Caribbean finish at the National Sailing Academy in Antigua.
The fleet departed Recife on February 19 and has faced torrential rain, squalls and shifting winds on the long push north through the Atlantic.
Ziemkiewicz endured illness in the early stages of the leg but has since recovered and settled back into the race rhythm. He has also had to contend with heavy squalls and dense mats of sargassum seaweed slowing progress.
The final days have brought further challenges. Around 600 miles from the finish, the Cork Harbour sailor suffered a heavy fall in the cockpit which briefly affected his performance.
Despite the setback, he remains part of the eastern tactical group in the fleet. This pack is gambling on a slightly shorter route and a more favourable wind angle for the final run to Antigua.
The leaders are separated by only around 100 miles as they close on the finish of the 15-month circumnavigation.
Fifteen skippers set out from Antigua in February 2025. Eleven are now on course to complete the solo round-the-world race in the 5.8-metre ALMA Globe 580 yachts.
The first finishers are expected into Antigua on March 8, bringing the demanding voyage to a close after more than a year at sea.
