NY skipper Cole Brauer, 29, hugs family, pops champagne as she becomes first US woman to sail solo around the world She sailed her way into the history books. Cole Brauer, a 29-year-old skipper from Long Island, tearfully reunited with her family and drank champagne from her trophy after arriving in Spain Thursday morning, becoming the first US woman to sail solo around the world. Brauer’s journey spanned over 130 days as part of the Global Solo Challenge, a daunting 26,000 nautical miles long race that began in October off the coast of A Coruña, located in northwestern Spain. “I can’t believe it guys. I sailed around the world,” Brauer said as she approached the finish line in an Instagram live video. “That’s crazy. That’s absolutely crazy. This is awesome. Let’s just do it again. Let’s keep going!” Cole Brauer, a skipper from New York, completed a solo trip around the world on her sailboat. 5 Cole Brauer, a skipper from New York, completed a solo trip around the world on her sailboat. Cole Brauer Ocean Racing Brauer starts to celebrate as she nears the finish line in the Global Solo Challenge. 5 Brauer starts to celebrate as she nears the finish line in the Global Solo Challenge. Instagram EXPLORE MORE Marine vet rescued after 10-hour wait in middle of Atlantic during around-the-world sailing race: ‘Live to fight another day’ map-syndi-comp Map showing it’s possible to sail from India to the US in a ‘straight line’ boggles social media and even gets Elon Musk’s attention Screenshots from a Coast Guard video depicting a late-night rescue in the stormy water off North Carolina, where five passengers were stranded on a sailboat. The conditions were caused by tropical storm Ophelia, which hit the next morning nearby, inset of storm path at center. Three kids among those saved from sailboat hours before Tropical Storm Ophelia landed She’s also the lone woman in a field of 19 sailors, seven of whom remained in the race following a handful of withdrawals or abandonments. “This goal has always been to be the First American Woman to Race Around the World,” Brauer said, according to her sailing profile. “With this goal, I hope to show that this very male-dominated sport and community can become more open and less ‘traditional.’ “ Brauer documented the treacherous trip daily aboard her beloved racing boat, “First Light,” a 40-foot monohull sailboat that typically holds a one or two-person crew, for her 459,000 Instagram followers. Brauer is the first US woman to accomplish the feat. 5 Brauer is the first US woman to accomplish the feat. Cole Brauer Ocean Racing The race path took Brauer down the western coast of Africa before she sailed into the Southern Ocean in early December, where she’d overtake second place in the challenge. She often showed fans her peaceful mornings and on-board workout sessions in the Atlantic Ocean. But didn’t shy away from being transparent about her hardships at sea. In December, Brauer suffered a rib injury when she was violently thrown across the “First Light” because of broaching, which is when a boat unintentionally changes direction toward the wind, amid the rough waters near Africa. “Solo sailors, you have to be able to do everything,” Brauer told NBC on March 3. “You have to be able to get up even when you’re so exhausted and you have to be able to fix everything on the boat.” Brauer finished the challenge in second place. 5 Brauer finished the challenge in second place. Cole Brauer Ocean Racing She reached the Pacific Ocean on December 29 and traveled past the southernmost point of South America and back into the Atlantic on January 27. As she missed the holidays back home, Brauer decorated “First Light” with decorations fit for the occasion — pumpkins and ghosts for Halloween, a small felt Christmas tree, and broke out a dress and champagne for New Year’s Day. Brauer marked her 100th day at sea on Feb. 5. She told the outlet that she started to feel the boat “deteriorating” and “starting to break down” as she made her final push through the Atlantic. She deliberately slowed her arrival time near the finish line to coordinate with the “first light” — when light is first seen in the morning — in honor of her boat’s namesake. “I’m glad that out of all times, I’m coming in at first light,” Brauer said. “It’s only necessary.” As she crossed the finish line, Brauer held two flares above her head to signal an end to her over four-month-long campaign. “Amazing finish!!!! So stoked! Thank you to everyone that came together and made this process possible,” she wrote on Instagram. French skipper Philippe Delamare, who started the race a month before Brauer, won the Global Solo Challenge on Feb. 24. He spent 147 days and 1 hour traveling around the globe.
NY skipper Cole Brauer, 29, hugs family, pops champagne as she becomes first US woman to sail solo around the world She sailed her way into the history books. Cole Brauer, a 29-year-old skipper from Long Island, tearfully reunited with her family and drank champagne from her trophy after arriving in Spain Thursday morning, becoming the first US woman to sail solo around the world. Brauer’s journey spanned over 130 days as part of the Global Solo Challenge, a daunting 26,000 nautical miles long race that began in October off the coast of A Coruña, located in northwestern Spain. “I can’t believe it guys. I sailed around the world,” Brauer said as she approached the finish line in an Instagram live video. “That’s crazy. That’s absolutely crazy. This is awesome. Let’s just do it again. Let’s keep going!” Cole Brauer, a skipper from New York, completed a solo trip around the world on her sailboat. 5 Cole Brauer, a skipper from New York, completed a solo trip around the world on her sailboat. Cole Brauer Ocean Racing Brauer starts to celebrate as she nears the finish line in the Global Solo Challenge. 5 Brauer starts to celebrate as she nears the finish line in the Global Solo Challenge. Instagram EXPLORE MORE Marine vet rescued after 10-hour wait in middle of Atlantic during around-the-world sailing race: ‘Live to fight another day’ map-syndi-comp Map showing it’s possible to sail from India to the US in a ‘straight line’ boggles social media and even gets Elon Musk’s attention Screenshots from a Coast Guard video depicting a late-night rescue in the stormy water off North Carolina, where five passengers were stranded on a sailboat. The conditions were caused by tropical storm Ophelia, which hit the next morning nearby, inset of storm path at center. Three kids among those saved from sailboat hours before Tropical Storm Ophelia landed She’s also the lone woman in a field of 19 sailors, seven of whom remained in the race following a handful of withdrawals or abandonments. “This goal has always been to be the First American Woman to Race Around the World,” Brauer said, according to her sailing profile. “With this goal, I hope to show that this very male-dominated sport and community can become more open and less ‘traditional.’ “ Brauer documented the treacherous trip daily aboard her beloved racing boat, “First Light,” a 40-foot monohull sailboat that typically holds a one or two-person crew, for her 459,000 Instagram followers. Brauer is the first US woman to accomplish the feat. 5 Brauer is the first US woman to accomplish the feat. Cole Brauer Ocean Racing The race path took Brauer down the western coast of Africa before she sailed into the Southern Ocean in early December, where she’d overtake second place in the challenge. She often showed fans her peaceful mornings and on-board workout sessions in the Atlantic Ocean. But didn’t shy away from being transparent about her hardships at sea. In December, Brauer suffered a rib injury when she was violently thrown across the “First Light” because of broaching, which is when a boat unintentionally changes direction toward the wind, amid the rough waters near Africa. “Solo sailors, you have to be able to do everything,” Brauer told NBC on March 3. “You have to be able to get up even when you’re so exhausted and you have to be able to fix everything on the boat.” Brauer finished the challenge in second place. 5 Brauer finished the challenge in second place. Cole Brauer Ocean Racing She reached the Pacific Ocean on December 29 and traveled past the southernmost point of South America and back into the Atlantic on January 27. As she missed the holidays back home, Brauer decorated “First Light” with decorations fit for the occasion — pumpkins and ghosts for Halloween, a small felt Christmas tree, and broke out a dress and champagne for New Year’s Day. Brauer marked her 100th day at sea on Feb. 5. She told the outlet that she started to feel the boat “deteriorating” and “starting to break down” as she made her final push through the Atlantic. She deliberately slowed her arrival time near the finish line to coordinate with the “first light” — when light is first seen in the morning — in honor of her boat’s namesake. “I’m glad that out of all times, I’m coming in at first light,” Brauer said. “It’s only necessary.” As she crossed the finish line, Brauer held two flares above her head to signal an end to her over four-month-long campaign. “Amazing finish!!!! So stoked! Thank you to everyone that came together and made this process possible,” she wrote on Instagram. French skipper Philippe Delamare, who started the race a month before Brauer, won the Global Solo Challenge on Feb. 24. He spent 147 days and 1 hour traveling around the globe.