South African sailor Kirsten Neuschäfer has just become the first woman to win the Golden Globe Race, a solo, round-the-world yacht race, and also won hearts by rescuing a fellow competitor whose boat had sunk.
Les Sables d’Olonne, France (28 April 2023) – Kirsten Neuschäfer, a South African sailor from Gqeberha, has just made history by becoming the first woman to win the Golden Globe Race – a gruelling solo, round-the-world yacht race that lasted almost 235 days!
What’s even more impressive is that Neuschäfer was the only female competitor among 16 entrants, all men, who set off on September 4, 2022. And at the time of her triumphant finish, only three sailors were still in the running – herself, Abhilash Tomy, and Michael Guggenberger – with two more racing in the “Chichester class”.
But here’s where Neuschäfer truly won our hearts: during the race, she stopped to rescue a fellow competitor whose boat had sunk. Tapio Lehtinen was stranded 450 miles southeast of South Africa, and Neuschäfer, who was closest to him at 95 miles away, diverted from her route to help. She managed to reach him in under 24 hours, taking him aboard her own yacht, the Minnehaha, and later transferring him to a merchant ship that had been diverted to the scene.
For this incredible act of seamanship, Neuschäfer was awarded the 2022 Cruising Club of America’s Rod Stephens Seamanship Trophy.
It’s clear that this incredible sailor not only won the race but also our admiration and respect!
About the Golden Globe Race
The Golden Globe Race sees solo skippers tackling the greatest challenge by sailing around the world, alone and without GPS.
The race is incredibly challenging because it is a circumnavigation race based on the original 1968 circumnavigation. This means that competitors are only allowed to use boats and equipment from 1968 and the years prior. That means no modern GPS technology onboard. Each ship is however equipped with modern technology which can only be used in case of emergency, and a rescue is needed.
Making History!
39-year-old Gqeberha-born Neuschäfer is the first woman from South Africa to compete in the race and the second-ever woman to enter the race. She has been sailing since her youth but took it up as a career in 2006. Over the last two decades, she has been a force within the sailing community.
Her sailing has taken her all over the world but she has specialised in expeditions to South Georgia, The Antarctic Peninsula, Patagonia and the Falklands. She has even taken several film crews to these areas to film various series for National Geographic and the BBC.
Kirsten managed to get some serious speed behind her, earning the fastest speed several times and setting a few records for this race.
Good Things Guy has been following and reporting on Kirsten’s journey since the start of the race. And we couldn’t be prouder of the incredible South African and her fantastic win!
Yes, proudly South African… and PROUD of South Africa! ❤️🇿🇦
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