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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Sailing 30,000 miles around the world solo, nonstop, with no outside assistance is a dream race for one Arkansan.
Olivia Wyatt is a Little Rock native who has her sights set on the 2026 Golden Globe race, which begins in France.
Although he grew up in Arkansas, Wyatt said he has always loved the ocean and that’s exactly where he is today.
“I’m from landlocked Arkansas and didn’t grow up sailing, so as soon as I discovered the ocean, it was hard to get out of there,” Wyatt said.
She said she started sailing in 2019 and hasn’t stopped since.
“I sailed from San Diego to Hawaii by myself,” she said.
Wyatt said her boat is called Juniper and after sailing in multiple countries, she will begin her new challenge in France.
“I know I’m guided to do it,” she said.
The 2026 Golden Globe race is also known as the “Voyage of the Madman” because it must be run solo, non-stop, without modern technology such as computers or satellite-based navigation aids.
Wyatt said he spoke with event coordinators and past winners about what the race was actually like.
“When I first read about it, I was excited, but then I had a conversation with them for about an hour,” Wyatt said. “Do you know, ‘What’s it really like outside?'” “How did you do this?” and “How did you do that?”
These questions are necessary because racing can be dangerous. Sailors must get an invitation to participate, and Wyatt has completed half of the qualification process and aims to complete the rest soon.
“I love sailing because it’s so challenging,” she said. “You just had a great experience.”
She said she wants to motivate everyone to pursue their dreams of sailing, even if they don’t have one.
“I really want to inspire people to live the life of their dreams,” Wyatt said.
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