Meet SA’s newest superstar Kirsten Neuschäfer, world sailing sensation

South African sailor, Kirsten Neuschäfer emerged victorious in the prestigious Golden Globe round-the-world race, renowned as the sailing world’s ultimate test of endurance. Notably, this extraordinary race forbids the use of modern technology for navigation, demanding participants to rely solely on paper charts and sextants. In an impressive display of skill and determination, Neuschäfer not only clinched the coveted victory, but she also crossed the finish line a full day ahead of her closest rival and undertook a rescue mission to save fellow competitor Tapio Lehtinen when his boat sank. Pretoria-born Neuschäfer’s talents extends beyond her sailing prowess. Previously she traversed Africa on a bicycle and she devoted her leisure time on the vessel learning the Xhosa language and reading books by Dalene Mathee and Dostoevsky. Hailing from Pretoria, Neuschäfer fittingly embodies the qualities of an “Outlier” as described in Malcolm Gladwell’s insightful book. – Linda van Tilburg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices