June 16, 2023
WoEgypt

Kirsten Neuschäfer, aboard her sailboat Minnehaha photo (c) Mélanie Voerman

Solo Sailer Kirsten Neuschäfer became the first women to to both complete and win the nonstop around-the-world Golden Globe, after sailing for 235 days at sea aboard Minnehaha, her 36-foot Cape George sailboat. The native South African is the first woman to win in the race’s history, since it started in 1968.

Growing up in Pretoria, South Africa, Neuschäfer learned to sail at a young age. To prepare for the Golden Globe race, she worked as a sailor on chapter boats, before she specialized in high latitude sailing, taking film crews to places like South Georgia, the Falklands, Patagonia and the Antarctic peninsula.

The GGR stared on September 2022 from from Les Sables-d’Olonne in France.  Kirsten Neuschäfer, returned to Les Sables-d’Olonne on 27 April 2023, after 233 days, 20 hours, 43 minutes and 47 seconds at sea, almost a day ahead of nearest  rival.