Christmas came early for sailors in Durban with a once in a lifetime opportunity to listen to around the world sailor, Kirsten Neuschäfer at the Point Yacht Club on Friday 1 December.
The historic winner of the 2022 Golden Globe Race, Neuschäfer spoke to a room bursting at the seams with enthusiastic locals and international sailors stopping in in Durban on their own circumnavigations. Her storytelling took the audience on a timeline that began with her briefly introducing everyone to who she was, her truly amazing adventures and travels over the last two decades, the build up to her life-changing race and snippets from being on the water, racing.
The Golden Globe Race is a solo, non-stop retro yacht race that starts and ends in Les Sables D’Olonne in France. Mirrored on the 1968 event, the 2022 event – the third of its kind – began on the 4 September 2022 with 16 yachts setting off. Being a retro race, competitors could only use the technology that was available in 1968, so no modern technology or GPSs, no way to communicate with the outside world, and no way to check the weather. All the crafts’ designs were required to be older than 35 years and had to be between 32 and 36 feet in length. The fleet would sail south, turning east rounding the Cape of Good Hope, then past Cape Leeuwin and Cape Horn before turning north for the finish line.
Neuschäfer finished her lap around the world in just over 233 days and in so doing, setting a number of records. This phenomenal sailor is the first ever woman to win an around the world race via the three capes. She is the first South African sailor, male or female, to win an around the world race. She is also the first woman to compete in the Golden Globe Race and of course then being the first woman to win the event.
The sailing world has noticed Neuschäfer’s amazing feat, and she is now being showered with deserved awards and accolades. Recently she was presented with the prestigious Rolex Women’s World Sailor of the Year Award by World Sailing, followed by the Bobby Schenk Cape Horn Award given at the Trans Ocean prize giving in Germany; winning the Standard Bank Top Woman Award and being acknowledged at the British Yachting Awards.
Her tale is more than just of winning a yacht race though. It is one of determination, girl-power, friendships, perseverance, courage but mainly of being brave enough to accomplish your dreams and trying new things. Neuschäfer’s mantra is simple, just relax and concentrate on this moment.
The audience was offered a glimpse into her many adventures, cycling from Germany, ‘downhill’ all the way to Cape Agulhas; working as a delivery skipper sailing on a variety of yachts and captaining a high latitude vessel that allowed her to explore and discover far-off remote places like Falkland Islands, South Georgia Island, Patagonia, and Antarctica. All these adventures were stepping stones in preparation for her ‘golden’ race.
Getting to the start line, she acknowledged her ‘crew’ that greatly assisted behind the scenes. The amazing, generous folk of Prince Edward Island, in particular Eddie Arsenault whose many talents enabled Neuschäfer to do everything necessary to prepare her boat, Minnehaha. French chef, Jean Louis Leclerc who gifted her over a hundred kilograms of fresh food that he lovingly packed and preserved in glass jars. And of course, her family and friends who have supported her throughout.
Entering the history books, Minnehaha glided over the finishing line arriving in Les Sables D’Olonne on South African’s Freedom Day. The perfect date for the conclusion to this fairytale adventure. This unassuming soul has managed to get the perfect balance in life, finding the freedom to do what she loves and doing it well.
After the riveting talk, she spent ages answering individual questions, sharing her passion with others who also dream of one day sailing over the horizon.
According to Neuschäfer, one of the most asked questions, why? Why would you sail solo around the world and her uncomplicated response is, “Because I love an adventure.”
And what an adventure it has been. The world needs more Kirsten Neuschäfers who just quietly go and achieve astonishing things. But for now, South Africa’s most famous sailor is recharging her batteries spending quality time with her folks and her beloved dogs.
Image: Rogan Ward – Photographer
Written By: Sophie Thompson