WOMAN WINS SOLO RACE AROUND THE WORLD

Kirsten Neuschäfer became the first woman to win a solo race around the world, finishing first the Golden Globe Race, having successfully rescued a fellow competitor from his life raft.

The South African solo skipper crossed the finish line at Les Sables d'Olonne, on April 27th, this year 2023, after 235 days at sea.

She floated over the finish line in light zephyr winds in the evening light, having raced across the Southern Ocean, around the three Great Capes (Africa's Cape of Good Hope, Australia's Cape Leeuwin, and South America's Cape Horn), on her 36 feet "Cape George", Minnehaha, with a huge fleet of spectators giving her the welcome.

“This is amazing, this is a once in a lifetime experience,” she said on the pier.

“I didn't know if I was going to win. I was convinced it would be over, but after the Doldrums I thought it was over [the chance to win] for me. I was quite impressed [to learn that I had won], I thought I would come in third after Simon [Curwen] and Abhilash [Tomy].”

Upon being the first woman to win a solo trip around the world, she said: “I'm very happy, but I entered as a sailor and being a woman is only secondary”.

But I say secondary it is not. We women can do things as good as any man and we're not afraid to make it happen.

Tears always come to my eyes with the deeds of these brave women.

Bravo Kirsten!