about White Ocean Racing

White Ocean Racing is the company set up by world renown solo sailor Steve White and his wife Kim as a vehicle for Steve's world class sailing adventures.

In 2008 / 2009, Steve circumnavigated the globe; 27000 miles non- stop and alone with no outside assistance in the Vendée Globe yacht race, which is widely regarded as the pinnacle of sailing.

Going forward, Steve and the team are searching for sponsors for two exciting campaigns, the 2012 Vendée Globe, and also a record attempt that people who know him say was made for him – to take on sailings toughest challenge - sailing “Westabout” non-stop and alone the wrong way around the World

Steve White - Motivational Speaker

Steve, currently ranked as one of the world’s top 10 sailors, completed the world's toughest solo ocean race, finishing 8th out of 30 competitors.

Steve proved himself not only a talented solo ocean racer competing alongside the top professional names in the sport, but also an excellent, colourful and good humoured communicator Steve's hard-wired desire to reach his goal and not to take no for an answer, is the most inspirational facet of a remarkable character.

To book Steve for your event contact kim@whiteoceanracing.com



Steve White, winning over a global audience: the back story.

Thursday, 20 January 2011 12:00 GMT

From the epic edition of the 2008-9 Vendée Globe solo round the world race, Steve White emerged as one of the stars, not just for the legions of native English speakers who followed his remarkable progress and charted his transition from a round the world rookie to accomplished, competitive racer, but a huge audience from all over the globe empathised as he went about the unrelenting daily business of racing a slightly aged 60 foot IMOCA Open 60 around the world, solo non stop.

In fact few would have bet on Steve White making it at all, far less finishing in eighth place. Thirty skippers started in early November 2008, only 11 finished. Some of the top names in solo ocean racing had to retire through boat or equipment failure, or injury. From the biggest ever entry for this iconic solo race, the rate of attrition was incredible. A big storm in the Bay of Biscay accounted for four boats within the first two or three days of the race. And even in February, within 1500 miles of the finish line, top boats still dropped out.

Steve dealt rigorously, intelligently and cheerfully with his problems. And he had plenty which would have stopped a less driven, less resourceful skipper.

A problematic autopilot which required constant attention, not only took time to fix but was downright dangerous, causing Toe in the Water to crash tack suddenly, throwing the boat randomly on its side for minutes on end until White could, once again, run through the strength, stamina and morale sapping routine to get the IMOCA Open 60 back on her feet and heading in the right direction, back on course.

Or when the gooseneck broke, the essential pivot which links the boom to the mast, the main fulcrum which the power of the huge mainsail is linked through. This was a problem which would have sent a less determined skipper limping for the nearest haven, race over. But not only did Steve set a clever temporary fix in place which kept him moving down the track, but over a period of days he fashioned a solid composite repair which allowed him to push Toe in the Water to the maximum around Cape Horn and back up the Atlantic to the finish back in Les Sables d’Olonne.

But when the dream of racing around the world has burned you up for dozens of years, and the desire to race the legendary Vendée Globe has taken you to the very brink of financial ruin, having mortgaged the family home four times, having slept on floors and walked endlessly round cities waiting for essential meetings, rather than spend small amounts of cash you don’t have. When it seemed like the dream had already been taken from you by missed bank deadlines and the boat you had set your heart on, seemed to have to slipped your grasp to another buyer, but a chance phone call saved the project, and an 11th hour sponsor ensures you actually make it to the start line. When all these things, and many, many more, are the back story to where you are now, alone in the Southern Ocean, then it would be breaking your destiny to simply give up.

Steve White didn’t. When he appeared across the finish line he looked like the same Steve – no fancy high tech race wear, budget blue jeans, checked shirt and a grin that took months to subside – but the transition to a much more complete competitor was obvious. Even before Cape Horn he was talking about his next challenge.