BACK FROM THE BRINK

Abhilash Tomy healed himself to become the first Asian with a podium finish in any ocean race

- MATHEW T. GEORGE

The 15th century Château Saint-Clair and its imposing Arundel tower watch over the Les Sables-d’Olonne channel on the French Atlantic coast. Built as a garrison by Louis XIII, the castle currently houses a sea and fishing museum. And, on the tower is the old lighthouse. During World War II, the Nazis used the tower as a vantage point on the Atlantic Wall. Sporting venues can hardly get more historic than this. And the Golden Globe Race 2022 threw up a historic result to match the host city.

On April 27, South African Kirsten Neuschäfer finished first to become the only woman to win any ocean race, and then Abhilash Tomy—the only Indian to circumnavigate the globe solo and unassisted—came second and became the first Asian with a podium finish in any ocean race.

On April 29, the tower sported the regulation French tricolour, but the castle was a rare sight—all three flagstaffs on the ramparts flew the Indian flag. All in honour of a sailor coming up the channel. He looked thin, haggard and sunburnt, and there was quite some silver in his beard. But to those who knew him, the cheeky smile was the same, maybe a wee bit brighter than usual.

When Abhilash was feted on the Golden Globe Race stage, the enormity of his achievement was all around him. On stage was the crushed fiberglass nose of a Rustler 36 yacht, painted blue and white. On stage was the retired Indian Navy commander in a dark beanie. And around him were pontoon after pontoon of yachts of all models and vintage.

The beanie