Cole Brauer finishes the Global Solo Challenge and is first American woman to complete a solo race around the world non-stop.
Cole Brauer finishes the Global Solo Challenge and is the first American woman to complete a solo race around the world non-stop. Sailing First Light (ex Dragon), her Owen Clarke Design Class 40, Cole finished second in this global ‘pursuit race’ with a corrected time of 130 days, 2 hours, 45 minutes, and 38 seconds and 11 days, 19 hours days behind on the water, to winner Philippe Delamere.
Photo credit: James Tomlinson
Cole, from Boothbay, Maine, started the race on 29 October 2023, one of 16 starters who all on different days based on a rating system. She quickly made her way towards the front of the fleet passing into the southern Indian Ocean in early December and passed the second of the great capes, Cape Leeuwin by Christmas Day. Cape Horn was rounded a month later on the 26th January and she made steady progress, continuing to close the gap with the leader.
Photo credit: James Tomlinson
Speaking after coming alongside, Cole Brauer said: “This is awesome, this is really cool. The sun’s out and this is nice. Last night was very rough and tough but this really feels very good. When I first called Marco [Global Solo Challenge organiser], the first thing he said was you are going to get a lot of publicity and I was like, no, no, it will be OK, it will be a little bit, but this is well beyond every expectation. Thank you all for coming. It means more than you guys will ever know. I think I am done sailing for today! Let’s go get beers!”
The next Global Solo Challenge will be taking place in 2027, with the first boats leaving La Coruña on 28 August 2027.
