Spirit of Canada and Canadian Yachting have worked closely in the past helping to promote Derek Hatfield’s ongoing passion for round the world racing while representing Canada in the 2002 Around Alone Single-handed Yacht Race, the Vendee Globe 2008 and now the 2010 Velux 5 Oceans Challenge (formerly the Around Alone).
Eliabeth Kerr, CY’s Publisher states “As Canada’s only national boating magazine covering both sail and power, Canadian Yachting is the perfect media fit for Spirit of Canada. We welcome the opportunity to work with Team Spirit of Canada to increase awareness, raise funds and support corporate sponsorship involvement. With the addition of Sail-World Canada, we are well-positioned to spread the word around the globe.”
Derek Hatfield responds. “We are very proud to be continuing our partnership with Canadian Yachting magazine as they have been pivotal in the success of Spirit of Canada and our campaigns to race around the world. With the addition of Sail-World Canada, we now have a world class Internet and e-mail portal to reach sailors around the world via instantaneous updates. We are really looking forward to utilizing this fantastic new medium to highlight our partners and to also introduce Sail-World Canada too.
The start of the VELUX 5 Oceans takes place in La Rochelle, France on October 17th, 2010. The around the world course has stopovers in Cape Town, Wellington, Salvador de Bahia, Charleston and then back to La Rochelle in France. Derek is the first official entry in the ECO 60 division of the VELUX 5 Oceans 2010 Round the World Yacht Race.
Canadian Yachting will feature editorial and advertising support for Derek Hatfield and the Spirit of Canada in every issue leading up to and during the race that starts this October in France.
It takes tremendous courage, determination and persistence to race around the world alone. Derek is the 126th brave sailor to have ever done it. As perspective, this is fewer than the 400 astronauts who have gone into space or the over 15,000 mountaineers who have reached the summit of Mt. Everest. It is a tremendous accomplishment under normal circumstances, but Derek Hatfield’s story is truly inspiring.
Starting in September 2002 and ending in May of 2003, Derek completed over 28,700 nautical miles in the “Around Alone” Single-handed Yacht Race. Derek built the boat with friends and family and despite major obstacles along the way, was 1 of 10 international competitors and the only Canadian to finish the grueling event. On May 31st 2003, after almost 8 months at sea, Derek arrived in Newport – the finish line – to a hero’s welcome. Hundreds of people came out to pay homage to a man who just wouldn’t quit. Finishing an amazing 1st in fleet and 3rd place overall in Class II; Derek was the fastest 40′ boat throughout the event.
After finishing the Around Alone in 2003 Derek realized that with the tremendous support that he had received before and during the Around Alone he could build an IMOCA Open 60 racing boat and represent Canada once again in the Vendee Globe 2008; a non-stop non-assisted solo race around the planet. Derek wasn’t alone on the boat as he had the support of over 6,000 people on the boat with him. Their names were printed on the hull. After almost 4 years of building and fundraising, Derek started the Vendee Globe and became the first Vendee Globe competitor to fly the Canadian flag. It was an amazing achievement for Derek; it was an amazing achievement for Canada.
On 28th December 2008 after 50 days at sea, Derek was forced to retire from the Vendee Globe 2008 after a large breaking wave rolled the Open 60 Algimouss Spirit of Canada breaking two of the mast spreaders. Unable to complete repairs without outside assistance, Derek was forced to retire from the race and headed for Hobart in Tasmania. Only 11 of the original 30 starters were able to complete the grueling race.
The next challenge will be the VELUX 5 Oceans race, formerly the Around Alone. The start line is in France on October 17th, 2010 and will take the racers around the world via stopovers in Cape Town, Wellington, Salvador de Bahia, Charleston and then back to La Rochelle in France. Derek is the first official entry in the ECO 60 division of the VELUX 5 Oceans 2010 Round the World Yacht Race.
Derek’s other sailing accomplishments include:
Rolex Sailor of the Year 2003;
Gerry Roufs Offshore Sailing Award 2003;
Ontario Sailor of the Year 2003;
3rd Place 2002/3 around Alone;
2nd place 1999 Bermuda One Two;
2nd place 1997 Bermuda One Two;
1st place and Overall Winner of the 1996 Legend Cup Transatlantic Race;
7th place 1996 Europe One Single-handed Transatlantic Race;
1st place 1994 Labatt’s Single-handed Race Series.