IT'S early evening on April 27. The waters are calm off Les Sable d'Olonne, France, and out from the fog emerges the 36-foot cutter Minnehaha. The one soul on board is 40-year-old South African Kirsten Neuschäfer-the Golden Globe Race's heroine and, at this moment, the first woman to win a solo around-the-world race.
Exactly 235 days earlier, as the lone female in a fleet of 16 seasoned singlehanded sailors, she'd set forth from France with a singular objective, and as she crossed the finish line, she may well have been the person least surprised by the outcome. After all, from the moment she'd entered the unique "retro" high-seas, high-stakes contest, she was in it to win it-never mind that she'd never raced offshore in her entire life.
"When I signed up for the race, I had an interesting chat with a very experienced racing sailor who asked, 'Why are you doing it? Just to go around? Or are your doing it to win?" she told me in the afterglow of her victory.
"And I said, 'Well, isn't everybody doing it to win?' And he said, 'No, people do it for different reasons. If you want to win, your preparation will be different. You'll choose your boat accordingly. If you need more money, you'll need to raise more funds. You're going to spend much more time preparing, but your goal will be different. To win, not just sail around the world.' And that's how it was in my mind right from the start."
The contemporary Golden Globe Race, having completed its second edition after an inaugural running in 2018, is a throwback "adventure race" that pays homage to the 1968 competition of the same name, won by British legend Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the lone finisher after a voyage of 312 days, during which he became the first sailor to circle the globe alone and without stopping.
This story is from the Fall 2023 edition of Sailing World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Fall 2023 edition of Sailing World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Tips for More Successful Epoxy Projects
That have nothing to do with epoxy mixing or application techniques
Auxiliary Rear Station Build
From past fishing experiences, I've learned that quick changes in speed and direction are often required when retrieving a hooked fish.
TARGETED PERFORMERS
Defending their title at the 420 Youth Worlds in July, Freddie Parkin and Asher Beck were on a roll-until they weren't.
BALANCE ON THE PINNACLE
The path to gender equity in the Olympics has been a long and twisted one, but when the sailors assemble in Marseille next year, we'll finally see what's been a long time coming.
SIMPLE STEPS TO CONSISTENT SPEED
Boatspeed is the magic ingredient for winning races because we can get away with bad decisions if we are fast, but we can't make good choices if we're slow.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL JIB-LEAD ADJUSTMENTS
Floating jib leads give trimmers more dynamic control of the headsail profile.
BETTER TOGETHER
Success over three decades comes down to making it meaningful.
JUSTINE THE MACHINE
This self-effacing Swiss sailor has-in her quiet and understated way become one of the stars of offshore ocean racing in recent years, whether as part of a winning crew in The Ocean Race or building her credentials as a top-class solo racer.
THE MULTITASKING MULTIHULL MOM
Competing in Olympic sailing's most challenging discipline is one thing, but doing so with a tyke in tow takes the campaign hustle to a higher level.
CONNECTED COAST TO COAST
From sunny St. Pete to historic Marblehead, the 34th edition of the Regatta Series linked sailors and friends across the country, with a few new twists.
