Around Alone on the tele

Documentary to air on Sky next week in UK

The Around Alone official documentary 'Lonely Planet' will be broadcast in the UK next week, here is the schedule:

LONELY PLANET
Monday September 22nd 1830 Sky Sports 2
Monday September 22nd 2400 Sky Sports Xtra
Tuesday September 23rd 0400 Sky Sports 2
Tuesday September 23rd 1400 Sky Sports 2

'Lonely Planet' tells the compelling stories of the 13 intrepid adventurers - including one woman - as they compete in the longest ever race for an individual in any sport: the Around Alone 2002-03 solo, round the world yacht race.

On September 15th, 2002, 20 years after the first edition of this historic yacht race, and in commemoration of the tragic events of September 11th, these 13 brave skippers, representing 10 different countries, set off together from beneath 'Ground Zero' in New York Harbour, on the first of five legs, which would take them on an incredible 28,000 mile marathon sprint, stopping in England, South Africa, New Zealand and Brazil before
finishing in Newport, Rhode Island 8 months later.

You will get to know a band of competitors who, in the course of their solo circumnavigation, become closer than brothers: including a Bermudian Hotel Manager, a diabetic and an ex-Mountie, both from Canada, one text-book salesman and one ex-pilot from America, a French human rights campaigner and veteran circumnavigator, an Italian poet, a Japanese adventurer, a Swiss record-breaker, as well as the only 'sister' and youngest skipper from Great Britain.

Live through their personal triumphs and disasters on the high seas as their every exploit and emotion are exposed on film, mostly recorded by the skippers themselves on board the yachts as they discover their own ultimate desires and fears along the life-changing journey around the globe in 'Lonely Planet'.

In Memoriam: this documentary gives tribute to Italian skipper Simone Bianchetti, who tragically died two months after finishing 3rd in Around Alone on his Open 60 'Tiscali'. The sea will miss him...