Meet Cole Brauer, a 29-year-old woman from Long Island, New York, who has defied stereotypes and conquered the vast ocean. On March 7th, she made history by becoming the first American woman to complete a solo race around the world.
She dreamed of conquering the ocean and she definitely made it!
In 2023, Cole Brauer participated in the Bermuda One-Two race, where she not only emerged as the winner but also became the first woman to achieve this feat. For Brauer, it was a pivotal moment in her career, as she had previously struggled to gain recognition. “Nobody took me seriously. I was always just the ‘girl in the van’,” the 29-year-old said.
First Light is designed by Owen Clarke Designs and built in the UK by Composite Creations, the same model as ZeroChallenge (formerly Fuji) sailed by Ari Känsäkoski
Brauer picked a unique boat for this extraordinary journey. “I’ve always dreamt of sailing around the world and envisioned doing it on a boat that I know, love, and trust. That’s why I chose First Light. To me, she embodies all of this. When we’re out at sea, I talk to her as if she were my child. When she’s doing well, I’m doing well. We share a beautiful relationship and a deep mutual understanding. If something isn’t right, I feel that she’s doing her best to improve the situation. Additionally, as a Class40, she was built sturdy and resilient for challenges like this.”
Brauer getting emotional at Cape Horn, known as one of the most feared sea routes in the world
The boat’s name, First Light, also conveys a powerful social message that Cole Brauer seeks to promote in sailing and sports. “It reminds me that even when everything seems to be going wrong, when everything is shrouded in darkness, the sun will always rise. It’s a certainty, and it’s very comforting,” she said.
Besides some really challenging days, Brauer would enjoy some peaceful sunny moments as well
The salty challenge began on October 29th, 2023, in A Coruña, a port city in the Galicia region of northwestern Spain, alongside other boats. The race took Brauer south along the west coast of Africa, around the Cape of Good Hope, and then eastward towards Australia. From there, she continued eastward, where she encountered the unpredictable and treacherous Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America before heading northeast across the Atlantic Ocean towards Spain.
Despite sustaining rib injuries around the halfway point of the race, the 29-year-old Cole Brauer finished in second place. She was the youngest skipper in the fleet of 16 boats, standing at just 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 100 pounds. She was also the smallest and only female sailor in the race.
Cole Brauer is making history as the first American female to race solo across the globe
Raised in a non-sailing family, Brauer couldn’t contain her excitement: “This is really cool and so overwhelming in every sense of the word. It would be amazing if just one girl saw me and said, ‘Oh, I can do that too.'”
Cole Brauer celebrating probably the most magical moment in her life
