After a lot of preparations for Globe 40 since 2020, the big challenge has started.
With dreaming of going around the world on a yacht for about 30 years, I(Suzuki) am finally able to stand on the stage to realize it.
In the two years since deciding to take on this challenge, I got over 10,000 miles of sailing experience and made every effort to get ready for the race.
Although it is just in the beginning, I would like to express my appreciation to the sponsors, my family and everyone supported me.
It is a long journey of 9 months, but I will enjoy this 30,000-miles race with your continued support.

We left Lorient (France) on 11th June and ran about 1,000 miles in five days.
While only two people are allowed to participate in the race (Leg1~), four people can be on board at Prologue. We chose to start it as a group of four and were able to do a fulfilling sailing with sail changes and movements practice.
After leaving France, we crossed a strong wind region with a maximum wind speed of about 20 m / s and then went south off the coast of Spain.
On the way from Portugal to the Strait of Gibraltar, our boat was attacked by an orca. In recent years, this kind of attack on small boats are common in this area and it caused us to lose more than half of the rudder.
In this case, though, we arrived in Tanger (Morocco) at the top of the seven boats which made us feel rewarded after two years of hard training and preparation.
In Morocco, we will replace the damaged rudder and make preparation for the start of the race on 26th June!

Tanger is a port city located along the Strait of Gibraltar in northern Morocco, where the ferries from Spain operate.
It is safer than I imagined. Besides the traditional dishes such as Moroccan Couscous and tagine, there are Italian, Spanish and Chinese food.
However, the local water got me and my teammate Nakagawa a little sick.

In the city, you can find well-preserved stone buildings built by the Spaniards around 1900, and many slopes and stairs. Moreover, there are kinds of the French yacht races. This cityscape and unique exotic atmosphere give me a lot of fun to walk around.

10 days until the start of the race, I will try my best to keep myself and my boat in good condition for the challenges!