Kirsten Neuschäfer (born 23 June 1982) is a South African sailor specializing in high latitude and high adventure sailing.[2] She is the winner of the 2022 Golden Globe Race, the first woman to win that race since it started in 1968; it also made her the first woman to win any round the world race by the three great capes, including solo and fully crewed races, non-stop or with stops; and the first South African sailor to win a round-the-world event.
 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 23 June 1982 South Africa |
| Home town | Gqeberha, South Africa[1] |
| Education | Deutsche Internationale Schule Pretoria |
| Website | kirstenggr |
| Sport | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Sport | Sailor |
Sailing career
editNeuschäfer started sailing dinghies as a child, also sailing at Transvaal yacht club(the oldest inland yacht club in Africa), and has been working as a professional sailor since 2006. She worked as a sailor doing charter deliveries, before she specialized in high latitude sailing, taking film crews to places like South Georgia, the Falklands, Patagonia and the Antarctic peninsula.[3]
2022 Golden Globe Race
editThe GGR is a retro sailing race in which the entrants single-handedly circumnavigate around the globe, solo, nonstop by using boats with technology only available to someone in 1968, such as relying on manual celestial navigation, without the use of modern electronic equipment such as cell phones, autopilot, radar or satellite communications.[4][5][6]
During the race, she rescued a fellow entrant, Tapio Lehtinen, after Lehtinen's boat sank and he spent over 24 hours adrift in the southern Indian Ocean.[7][8] In January 2023, she was awarded the Rod Stephens Seamanship Trophy by the Cruising Club of America[9] and the Ocean Cruising Club's (OCC) Seamanship Award[10] for her role in this rescue operation. She led the fleet in 2022 GGR after rounding the Cape Horn and became the first woman to win this round the world race.[11][12]
Neuschäfer is the first woman to complete the Golden Globe Race (GGR) in the race's history, the first woman to win the GGR, and the only woman skipper who participated in the 2022 Golden Globe Race.[4][13][14] According to the International Association of Cape Horner's records, Neuschäfer is the seventh woman to circumnavigate the globe solo nonstop via the great capes in yachts under 18m.[15] She is the first woman to win any round the world race by the three great capes, including solo and fully crewed races, non-stop or with stops, and the first South African sailor to win a round-the-world event.[16][17][1][18]
Her boat Minnehaha is a Cape George 36 built in Port Townsend, Washington, launched in 1988. Neuschäfer spent a year in Prince Edward Islands (PEI) while refitting her boat in preparation for the 2022 GGR.[19] Lennie Gallant, a singer-songwriter from PEI, wrote and performed a song, On the Minnehaha, about Neuschäfer and her GGR journey. Some of the islanders who took part in refitting of Minnehaha, including shipwright Eddie Arsenault, appear in the music video. Gallant's song was played upon Neuschäfer's arrival in Les Sables D'olonne as the leading skipper of the race. The song is also used in GGR's video compilation of Neuschäfer's victory.[20]
Other accomplishments
editShe attended Deutsche Internationale Schule Pretoria; she matriculated in 2000.[21]
At age 22, Neuschäfer pursued another solitary adventure and cycled across Africa from north to south. She started her journey in Germany, and cycled throughout the Northwest and Central Africa into Southern Africa and completed her trip in Cape Agulhas.[21][22]
References
edit- ^ a b Mostert, Herman. "SA sailor Kirsten Neuschäfer makes history in round-the-world race". News24 Sport. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
- ^ "Kirsten Neuschafer: GGR 2022". SisterShip Magazine. March 2020.
- ^ "South Georgia paddle adventure". Australian Geographic. 10 February 2016.
- ^ a b Sloss, Lauren (14 June 2023). "Meet the First Woman to Sail the 'Voyage for Madmen'". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- ^ "2022 Skippers". Golden Globe Race.
- ^ "This race is a nonstop sail around the world. Cassette tapes are allowed, but no GPS". National Public Radio (NPR). 10 February 2023.
- ^ "SA female solo sailor diverts to rescue stricken fellow GGR competitor". National Sea Rescue Institute. 15 December 2022.
- ^ "South African sailor comes to rescue of Finnish veteran in Golden Globe Race". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
- ^ Stickland, Katy (4 January 2023). "Golden Globe Race: Award for Kirsten Neuschafer". Yachting Monthly.
- ^ "Crossings, Rescues and Adventures Recognized in OCC Awards". Latitude 38. 30 January 2023.
- ^ "The unlikely new star of round-the-world sailing". Financial Times. 22 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
- ^ Nguyen, Thinh (21 April 2023). "South African sailing in P.E.I.-refitted boat in 2-way race to win round-the-world event". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
- ^ McIntyre, Don. "First female entrant in the 2022 GGR is 37 year old Kirsten Neuschäfer from Cape Town". Sail World.
- ^ "2022's Only Female Golden Globe Racer – Sailing". Shout Out to Women.
- ^ "GGR Official Twitter". 16 February 2023.
- ^ "Tapio Lehtisen pelastanut Kirsten Neuschäfer teki historiaa". 28 April 2023.
- ^ "Voile : l'épopée pionnière de Kirsten Neuschäfer, vainqueure de la Golden Globe Race".
- ^ Jordan, Bobby. "Sailor Kirsten Neuschafer crosses the finish line off the coast of France as a winner". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
- ^ "South African sailor on P.E.I. prepares for race around the world". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 22 September 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
- ^ "Day 236 Kirsten makes history, Simon first boat home, Les Sables gearing up for Abhilash Tomy Bayanat Welcome". Golden Globe Race.
- ^ a b "Nothing ventured, nothing gained!" (PDF). Deutsche Internationale Schule Pretoria Alumni Newsletter.
- ^ "Auf die harte Tour". Die Zeit. 24 May 2006.
