ROCKPORT — Kirsten Neuschäfer, who recently became the first woman to win a solo, nonstop round-the-world sailboat race, will speak Friday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m., at the Rockport Opera House.

Neuschäfer won the 2022 Golden Globe Race in June, besting 15 competitors, 12 of whom could not finish this grueling 30,000-mile contest, which allows no offboard assistance and only traditional navigation methods. 

While racing across the Indian Ocean, Neuschäfer located and rescued a fellow competitor who was drifting in his life raft after his boat had sunk. She then transferred him to a passing ship and continued her race to ultimate victory in France.

In addition to being a world-class sailor and navigator, Neuschäfer has an extensive resume as an adventure traveler spanning the globe from the Arctic to the Antarctic, Europe and Africa. At age 22, she rode her bicycle alone from Portugal to her home in South Africa.

This event will be Neuschäfer's first and only US appearance since her record-setting Golden Globe victory.  

Proceeds will benefit the Camden Area Youth Seamanship Program, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides sailing and seamanship instruction to kids in the Camden community, with scholarship support to those who demonstrate a need.

For more information and tickets, go to https://rockportoperahouse.org/rockportoperahouse.