Top prizes for two Golden Globe finishers
The performances of two single-handed non-stop circumnavigators stand out. Kirsten Neuschäfer received the award from Bobby Schenk newly donated "Cape Horn Award" for her victory in the Golden Globe Race 2022/23, in which she also rescued her fellow competitor Tapio Lethinen from distress at sea.
Alles gut, K.
The South African with German roots was unable to be there herself, but sent a video message from her home country. "Cape Horn is an important landmark for me. The rounding was definitely one of the most exciting moments of my life," said the experienced professional skipper. "I'll never forget the radio conversation with the lighthouse keeper there."
Michael Guggenberger from Austria accepted the prize on behalf of Kirsten Neuschäfer in the Hapag Halls in Cuxhaven. He finished the Golden Globe Race no less brilliantly in third place and was honoured with the Trans-Ocean Prize and the Circumnavigator Prize. He and Neuschäfer have been friends since the parallel circumnavigation.
Circumnavigator prizes for the great adventure
There were also prizes and applause from the audience, which included Bobby Schenk and other well-known blue water sailors, for much more relaxed voyages around the globe in cruising mode.
Among others, those honoured with the World Circumnavigator Award "Sailing boys" Tim Hund and Vincent Goymann. The association had already supported the young men from Bavaria at the beginning of their five-year journey, when the friends - at that time still four of them - started their adventure as absolute sailing beginners.
Turning far more quickly Hartmut Herrmann his round: As part of an organised rally, he sailed around the world with his wife Frauke in just 15 months. Also Matthias and Luisa Werb were fast: a planned half-world circumnavigation turned into the big round trip within just under two years.
Two families received the prize. Sailing with the "Wolo Marco and Lucille Hopfmann around the world in four years. Their three-year-old daughter was on board at the start. Marc Schiffbauer and Daniela Lücking and her daughter also left the world in their wake in four years with their "Gentoo".
Atlantic criss-cross
Smaller distances on smaller boats were covered by Nicolas Manthos and Marcus Bulgrin and logged remarkable solo miles in the process, each receiving a Trans-Ocean medal. Manthos crossed the Atlantic alone in both directions on his five-and-a-half metre boat. Bulgrin sailed his aged Monsun to the Caribbean and back to northern Germany via Iceland - also mostly single-handed.
Also for the extraordinary journey of Bernhard and Heike Gläsker They sailed around the world with their boats "Fernweh 2" and "Fernweh 3" for 17 years in many stages with long stays at home in between.
Commitment to the sailing community
It's a hot topic among yacht crews on the Atlantic coast: killer whale attacks on boats. For their joint contribution to researching the orca phenomenon off Portugal and supporting the yachting scene with timely information on the whereabouts of the animals, the Dr Renaud de Stephanis and Rui Alves the relatively new Ocean Award, which has already been presented to Jimmy Cornell and the editorial team of the Reeds Almanac, for example.
For his own regatta successes and his tireless efforts on behalf of the Trans-Ocean regatta crews, he received the Wolfgang Quix the TO Race Award. The former chairman Martin Birkhoff was named an honorary member.
Marcus Warnke, TO Chairman for the past year, also honoured the achievements of the deceased German sailing pioneers Wilfried Erdmann and Erich Wiltswhich inspired countless blue water sailors to embark on their voyages. Also on Claus Hehnerthe former initiator and founder of Trans-Ocean, recalled Warnke. Hehner would have been one hundred years old this year.
