Without GPS, stops or assistance: The first Israeli in one of the world's toughest sailing races

Daniel Pinsky, 35, is the first Israeli to participate in the Golden Globe Race. On September 6, 16 sailors departed from France on a course of approximately 30,000 nautical miles, without GPS, without stops, and without external assistance. Pinsky passed the first gate at Lanzarote and continues south toward the equator, where the Doldrums region with weak winds could alter the race order.

Daniel Pinsky, 35, is the first Israeli to participate in the extreme sailing race Golden Globe Race. On September 6, 16 sailors departed from Les Sables-d'Olonne in western France on a course of approximately 30,000 nautical miles, through the Atlantic Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and the great capes, until returning to France. The race rules return competitors to the navigation conditions of 1968: no GPS, no modern electronic systems, and no external assistance. Navigation is done using paper maps, a sextant, the sun, and the stars. Pinsky sails on the boat "Exodus," built in 1980 and 10.7 meters long. On September 18, he passed the first gate at Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, where he transferred photographic materials to the race team and continued south. The next challenge is the equator region and the Doldrums, where the wind may disappear completely and alter the race order. Pinsky, a graduate of the Naval Officers' Maritime Boarding School in Acre, has accumulated experience of over 20,000 nautical miles and purchased the boat in October 2025.