Kirsten Neuschäfer, a South African sailor, became the first woman to win a circumnavigation race via the three great capes, crewed or solo, and the first South African to win a round-the-world sailing event by winning the Golden Globe, a retro race that involves sailing small boats, navigating with paper charts and sextant, catching rain for water, hand-writing logs, communicating by radio, and not accepting outside assistance. The race is considered the greatest challenge in sailing and has only been held three times. Neuschäfer's win highlights the rarity of women in sail racing and the obstacles they face.
Abhilash Tomy has come second in the 2022 Golden Globe Race, after battling equipment failure in the latter half of the race. He battled with more equipment failure than the rest of the fleet, including problems with his windvane steering, rigging, mast, generators, and battery charging problems which led to electrical system blackouts. Unlike the winner of the 2022 Golden Globe Race, Kirsten Neuschafer, Tomy had a fast sail at the end, crossing the finish line after 236 days at sea.
Kirsten Neuschäfer has become the first woman to win the historic Golden Globe Race, a solo sailing competition around the world via the five Great Capes. Neuschäfer's boat was her "companion" throughout the 233-day journey, during which she also diverted from her path to rescue a fellow competitor. The South African skipper emphasized that she wanted to win on equal terms with all the skippers, not as a woman in a separate category. The mayor of Les Sables-d'Olonne praised Neuschäfer's achievement as a historic moment and a model for gender equality.
Kirsten Neuschäfer, a South African sailor, has become the first woman to win the Golden Globe Race, a round-the-world sailing competition that requires participants to sail nonstop around the world via the three great capes of South America, Africa, and Australia. Neuschäfer completed the course in 235 days, 5 hours, and 44 minutes, covering 30,290 nautical miles. She sailed alone with no help and crossed the finish line in France on Thursday. The Golden Globe Race dates back to the 1960s, and Neuschäfer's win makes her the first South African sailor to win a round-the-world event.
South African sailor Kirsten Neuschafer has become the first woman to win the 2022 Golden Globe Race, a grueling, nonstop, round-the-world sailing competition. Neuschafer beat 15 rivals after spending 235 days alone at sea in a tiny fiberglass boat, relying on celestial navigation. The race is unique in that participants are not allowed to use most modern electronics to find their position at sea.
Kirsten Neuschäfer has become the first woman to win a solo around the world race, finishing first in the Golden Globe Race after 235 days of racing. She also successfully rescued a fellow competitor from his liferaft on the way. Neuschäfer went into the race as one of the hotly tipped skippers to watch and has either held or duelled for the lead since Simon Curwen pulled into Chile in late January.
