Issue 42
Spring 2024
BLUE WATER MEDAL PRESENTED TO KIRSTEN NEUSCHÄFER AS CCA HONORS TOP 2023 OCEAN SAILORS By John Burnham (NEW YORK, March 12, 2023)— fire. Later, he and his friends restored The 2023 Cruising Club of America Elixir, a 1970 Swan 37-footer, and have (CCA) awards ceremony was held at now sailed it as far as New Zealand. the New York Yacht Club on Friday, Campbell flew to New York to March 1, highlighted by the presenaccept the CCA’s award and said, tation of the Blue Water Medal to “It’s inspiring and humbling to be in solo round-the-world sailor Kirsten a room with so many accomplished Neuschäfer. The prestigious Medal sailors.” For introducing him to sailing was first awarded by the CCA at the in the UK at age four and then giving Club’s first annual meeting in 1923. him the passion of travel, he credited Neuschäfer, of Port Elizabeth, his mother Jo Clarkson and his stepfaSouth Africa, received the Blue Water ther Dave Cockwell, who were able to Medal from Commodore Jay Gowell meet him in New York for the awards in recognition of her victory in the ceremony. 2022 Golden Globe Race, a 235-day Other award winners included: solo circumnavigation in which she Kirsten Neuschäfer receives the 2023 Blue Water Medal from • Max Fletcher received the Far HoriCCA Commodore Jay Gowell. was the first of three finishers among zons Award, which recognizes a Photo: Dan Nerney 17 original starters. The race restricts CCA member for a particularly sailors to the use of sailboats and meritorious cruise or series of technology that was available when cruises. Max cruised with his family the race was first held, in 1968. as a child, cruised to the Caribbean Self-effacing in her remarks, Neuswith a buddy after college, and later chäfer said, “It’s a singlehanded race, sailed with his young family to New but many, many people help” and Zealand, returning with a friend via spent most of her speech giving credit Cape Horn and the Falkland Islands. to others. She said, “On a very philoHe and his wife Lynnie have made sophical level, I learned a lot, and it two round-trip Transatlantics to was truly a voyage of collaboration,” and from Europe, and recently he’s then added, “It’s one of those experihelped others sailing to and from ences you keep on doing for a while, Antarctica and Greenland. and the train hasn’t ended.” • Paul Bieker won the Diana Russell The winner of the CCA’s Young Award for innovation in recognition Voyager Award was Max Campbell, a of his performance boat designs and young English sailor who has cruised the development of foils on sailing Young Voyager Award recipient Max Campbell with halfway around the world and shares and motor craft that have helped CCA Commodore Jay Gowell. Photo: Dan Nerney his adventures by inviting friends change the way that all high-perforto come along or join via Instagram mance sailing is thought about and and YouTube (close to 300,000 followers combined). Camppracticed today. Paul’s innovations with hydrofoils for bell’s first boat was a tiny 22-footer that he sailed across sailboats have consistently been at the forefront in our the Atlantic and aboard which he survived a serious galley continued on page 2
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