Golden Globe Race Winner
A Conversation with Kirsten Neuschäfer, Golden Globe Race Winner
Hosted by Jeanne Goussev, Race to Alaska Winner
This presentation is now available for replay
Description:
What makes a sailor decide to embark on a solo, non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation using only tools and technology available in 1968 in a 36′ boat? What strategies and reflections does it take to win the most grueling retro race? Kirsten Neuschäfer won the recent 2022 Golden Globe Race, setting several speed records. She sits down with, two time Race to Alaska winner, Jeanne Goussev, to discuss what it takes to compete in high-adventure races and the human experiences behind it.
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Speakers:
Kirsten Neuschäfer – Adventure Sailor, 2022 Golden Globe Race Winner
Kirsten has been sailing dinghies since her childhood, but sailing since 2006 as a profession. From sail-training to sailboat deliveries, she built a diverse set of skills and experience. Kirsten’s longest single-handing was a delivery from Portugal to South Africa with only a wind-vane as self-steering, on an old and maintenance-intensive 32 foot ferro-cement sloop. In 2015, she started working on Pelagic, a high latitude expedition boat, making trips to South Georgia, The Antarctic Peninsula, Patagonia and the Falklands.
Kirsten has sailed several film crews down to capture the beauty of the Antarctic. She was featured in National Geographic series “Wild_Life Resurrection Island with Bertie Gregory” as she sailed his crew throughout South Georgia to shed light on the beautiful ecosystems and hardships they’ve faced. She also sailed and was a support vessel for several crews from the newest BBC series “Seven Worlds, One Planet” to film animal habitats and behavior.
Along with sailing, she also enjoys other solitary adventures. She cycled from Europe back home to South Africa (15000 km over approximately one year) on her own when she was just 22. She traveled throughout the Northwest and Central Africa into Southern Africa and eventually ending in Cape Agulhas. The trip brought trials and tribulations but was life-enriching in every sense, giving her the deepest appreciation of Africa and her people.
Jeanne Goussev – Adventure Sailor, 2018/2023 Race to Alaska Winner
Jeanne started sailing competitively 25 years ago in Boston Harbor when she met her husband. They bought their cold molded cedar boat Gray Wolf 10 years ago and they enjoy double hand and fully crewed racing in the Puget Sound. In 2018, Jeanne founded Team Sail Like a Girl to compete in the Race to Alaska. Her all women crew became the first monohull to win the race. In 2023, she competed on Gray Wolf with her husband and a team of 8 and came in first again, this time with a 2 year diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
Undoubtedly, a remarkable interview and inspiring conversation for women, as well as educational for others. There were many points made that brought tears of confirming joy to hear. When the two women shared their responses to selling their beloved boats, both acknowledged the depth of connection they felt to an entity that was not just an object. Jeanne’s simile likened relinquishment to a new owner as, “handing over a puppy.” Though the comparison is apt, respectfully I add that to those who have built and/or long-maintained their wooden boats–wood that was once alive and still responds to humidity–it Is more like giving up a child that will always need a caregiver to survive.
What an incredible presentation. Thank you to Sandy, Jeanne, and Kirsten for making this so rich and wonderful. I especially appreciate your attention and comments about what your retrospections from what you have experienced provide to your every day events. Lots to think about and I very much enjoyed all the various topics in your discussions.
Julia (Nate’s mom)
Great presentation. I could feel the wind in their sails! Gotta love the comment “Stay out of the galley!”. Thank you.
Thank you so much….as a Sailor of the generation before these great ladies I am truly inspired to see this caliber of sailors highlighted here!!!!!!
amazing talk – thank you. I helmed Reepicheep in the Vanisle 360 this past year winning overall and felt a kinship with you both. Thank you for sharing. I’m doing a talk on women in boating and I’ll be using much of your stories to help other women reach their dreams.
You would’ve been a great addition to this, Suze – maybe we can get you three together some time.
Thanks for watching! Love hearing from you!
Kirsten I love your keeping the original boat name and for the explanation about that.. It really resonates having two successful sailors talk about prioritizing enjoyment
Highly insightful, informative, interesting and moving interviews. Hopefully I will be able to watch them again at my leisure and able to pause and think about some comments while watching again. I have skippered in the Vic-Maui in my own 70′ ultra-light and sailed a lot single- handed in her including day races in the Salish Sea. But these two women have accomplished so much more.
Hopefully it can be distributed widely to encourage more women to mess about in boats and take up sailing… and sail racing both team and single-handed.
How do I find plans for adding a bike to my stern 🙂
Did you ever feel like you might capsize or pitchpole in the Southern Ocean?
Dave Witherill
Regarding women sailors from Maine who have circumnavigated or are doing so, Holly Martin and Cole Brauer are two of them (of course among many worldwide). Both are examples of how strength of character as much as physical determination are what count: https://maineboats.com/print/issue-169/holly-martin
Thank you!
Do you have any idea what your next adventure will be?
What kind of Sailing are you doing now and adventures in the future¿?
Amazing! Congratulations! What’s the next adventure?
For Kirsten,
How did you feel about the size of the CG 36? If you were to do this again without the limitations of the GGR, would you be comfortable in a smaller boat, larger, etc?
Would either of them want to do the other race?
It refreshing to see people sailing understanding the elements with and against you.
Amazing story about the rescue. Tapio was a lucky guy to have you in range.
Congratulations to Kirsten and Jeanne for the circumnavigation and victory in the R2AK. I saw Kirsten give her slide talk in Rockport, Maine about her voyage and was especially interested to learn about the undersea ridge between the tips of South America and Antarctica which creates such an upwelling contributing to the dangerous seas. Jeanne and crew baking cookies toward the end of R2AK aboard GRAY WOLF was icing on the cake and so great to see.
Kirsten- We especially liked the segments of your talk about your time on PEI. The people there are very special.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/sailor-boat-rescue-at-sea-1.6659999
Which other solo circumnavigators inspired your preparation?
Kirsten,
Maine loves you! Please remember your invite to sail with us on the Stephen Taber, launched in 1871.
Have you sailed any wooden boats?
Why the name Minnehaha?
It’s about 10 minutes past the start time and I don’t see anything, despite refreshing my browser, are others seeing/hearing content? Has it started?
Sorry you’re having trouble Julie. It’s working Julie and lots are watching on various devices, so must be something on your end. Possibly try to restart your device and turn of any blockers you may have on i.e. pop up blockers.
How frequent or pervasive has skepticism, originating from men – and directed toward your skills or toughness – based solely on your gender been a part of your journey within sailing, and to this point? Also, how would you most encourage other women & girls to participate in on-the-water activities that have similar barriers-to-entry, such as gender-based skepticism? thank you!
Amazing accomplishment for you and Minnehaha. What leadership skills did you bring to sailing, and what leadership skills did your sailing teach you? Thank you for sharing your adventure story.
What a way to start the day! And, Classic Boat show. Thanks OCH, Kirsten, and Jeanne!
QUESTION: What was the bigger draw initially AND the lasting impact of the GGR & R2AK. Was it the “racing” energy and accomplishment of a goal, or the rare chance to be in these wilderness ocean-nature spaces (outside the normal race courses) and/or the personal challenge? Would love to hear how these races changed you… and what you learned that propels you now.
I have the utmost respect for Kirsten. As a dynamic environment that is always changing, was there anything the sea showed to her that she hadn’t experienced before, either about herself or the environment she was in, as she sailed in the Golden Globe?
Was it hard to adjust to life on the hard?
Yeah – how does one continue to hold and infuse with these massive experiences of solitude and flow after re-integrating into all that a loud, modern, mechanized, digitized, and anxious world asks of us?
I am so excited for this presentation. Jeanne and Kirsten have such an amazing wealth of knowledge and experience, this is your chance to ask your questions! What do you want to know?
I’d love to know what each sailor believes was the greatest skill they had developed that led to their completions and wins of these adventure races.
I’d love to know what each sailor believes was the greatest skill they had developed that led to their completions and wins of these adventure races. I’d also love to know, when times get tough, what resource do they tap into to get them through the challenge.
I’m in total awe of Kirsten. I wouldn’t have been able to leave the dock in P.E.I. under the conditions she did, let alone circle the globe. However, I do have a question. Why did she choose to manually record her barometric pressure instead of having a barograph on board? I’m sure there were times when she had more than enough to keep her busy without having to add that crucial task. A huge congratulations to Kirsten and Jeanne on their landmark victories.
Curious on their thoughts about how to best promote and provide opportunities for Women in sailing?