Introducing The Pride of World ARC Award

A private villa, located on the side of a hill overlooking the anchorage at Contadora, was the stunning location for the farewell and prizegiving party for the World ARC boats gathering to leave Panama for Galapagos.

The event, with delicious catering organised by Perla Real, was a fun and joyful affair and the perfect setting to launch the Pride of World ARC Award. A new category for World ARC rally participants, this award is a rolling honour, presented at each leg prizegiving, and given to a person or boat who has gone an extra nautical mile – small, large, fun or serious - to assist others within the fleet.

The first Pride of World ARC Award was to presented to Garland Mann of Esperanza for his sterling efforts while in Santa Marta. Garland aka 'G-Mann', and his wife Jennifer, arrived in Santa Marta six weeks before the rally, during which time, they gleaned an incredible knowledge of the marina and surrounding area, and not only greeted each rally boat on arrival, but also recommended restaurants and suppliers, and were hugely supportive to the fleet.

Recipients of this award - which is a logo’d World ARC 2024-25 flag with an adapted large white border - are asked to either stitch or sign their logo to the border or add something that represents them or their boat. They are invited to fly this flag from the mast at the rally leg start and leg finish. It is then taken down and the baton is passed on to another worthy recipient at the next prizegiving, with the flag getting more colourful with each individual insignia.

Well done to G-Mann, who was deeply touched to receive this award.