Maine sailor Cole Brauer now first American woman to race solo around world after finishing 4-month journey
BOSTON - Cole Brauer, a 29-year-old sailor from Boothbay, Maine, is now the first American woman to race solo around the world.
Brauer finished second in the Global Solo Challenge, one of the most extreme sailing events in the world. She arrived in A Coruna, Spain Thursday morning, according to her Instagram page. She was the youngest skipper and the only woman in the race.
"Amazing finish!!!! So stoked! Thank you to everyone that came together and made this process possible," she wrote.
"It hasn't really hit me yet. Everyone's so excited, but for me it hasn't really sunk in that I now hold these records," Brauer later said in a statement. "It just feels like I went for a little sail, and now I'm back."
Brauer has been away from home for four months and was one of ten people in the grueling race. She spent 130 days at sea.
"The goal of this was always to be the first American woman to race solo around the world," Brauer told WBZ-TV in an interview last month.
About halfway into the race, a massive wave crashed on top of her 40-foot-boat and Brauer slammed into the walls of her vessel. She ended up with bruised ribs and still had two months to go. She had cameras on board which allowed a medical team to watch her constantly.
Brauer admitted the journey was lonely, but said she was able to balance the chaos with beautiful, peaceful sunsets and seeing wildlife at sea.
"So excited to like have a cappuccino and a croissant, cannot wait," Brauer told WBZ-TV about her plans when she was finished.