Irish sailor's round-world dream inspired by dad's Parkinson's battle

Karl Smith, a sailor from Dublin, is preparing to embark on a solo, non-stop, unassisted race around the world. This ambitious endeavor, known as the Global Solo Challenge, is fueled by a personal mission: to raise €1 million for Parkinson's charities.

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More people have been to space than have done this. It's one of the most challenging things you can do in sailing and when you're at sea for four to five months, the outcome is uncertain for everyone.

The inspiration behind Smith's journey is his father's ongoing battle with Parkinson's disease. "This whole adventure is inspired by him. It's for him, but it's also for the 10 million people around the world with Parkinson's," Smith told RTÉ News. He hopes to become the first Irish person to successfully complete this demanding challenge.

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This whole adventure is inspired by him. It's for him, but it's also for the 10 million people around the world with Parkinson's.

Smith emphasized the extreme nature of the race, drawing a stark comparison to space travel. "More people have been to space than have done this," he stated. "It's one of the most challenging things you can do in sailing and when you're at sea for four to five months, the outcome is uncertain for everyone." His father, he added, is

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At the moment, this campaign is funded by me but we're going to need some extra support to get the boat to the start line.