Cole Brauer

Cole Brauer
Born	(1994-05-24) May 24, 1994 (age 30) Long Island, New York
Alma mater	University of Hawaiʻi
Occupation	Sailor
Known for	First American female single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe

Cole Brauer (born May 24, 1994) is an American sailor.[1] She was the first woman from the United States to race single-handed around the world nonstop.[2]

Early life

Brauer grew up on Long Island, New York, and attended East Hampton High School, graduating in 2012.[3][4] She attended the University of Hawaiʻi, where she studied nutritional science and competed for the college's sailing team, later becoming the team's captain.[5][6] Although she initially planned to become a doctor, she decided to become a sailor after learning the sport in college.[1]

Sailing

After graduating, Brauer moved to Boothbay, Maine, where she currently lives.[2][3][5] There, she began teaching at Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club, and working as a sailor to deliver boats on the Atlantic Coast.[3]

In 2018, Brauer earned her 100Ton Captain's License.[3]

In June 2023, Brauer and her co-skipper, Cat Chimney, won both legs of the 668-nautical mile Bermuda One-Two race from Rhode Island to Bermuda and back, the first women to do so since the race's inception.[3][4][6]

She finished 2nd in the 2023–2024 Global Solo Challenge on March 7, 2024, sailing a Class40 boat named First Light, making her the first woman from the United States to sail single-handed around the world nonstop and unassisted, and also setting a new around-the-world speed record for the class.[2][7][8] She had started the race on October 29, 2023, and was the only woman and the youngest among the 16 competitors. During the 130 days on her boat, she injured a rib, suffered dehydration, and gave herself IV fluids.[1][5] She was able to connect to the Internet via Starlink satellites, and established an influential social media presence, introducing a new audience to the sport.[9][10]

She also trains in Newport, Rhode Island in the summer.[11]

Awards

Brauer received Mystic Seaport Museum’s America and the Sea Award for 2024.[12] She was a finalist for US Sailing's 2024 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year award.[13]

References

1. Ikeda, Emilie (March 7, 2024). "Sailor Cole Brauer makes history as the first American woman to race solo around the world". NBC News. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
2. Haefeli, Laura (March 7, 2024). "Maine sailor Cole Brauer now first American woman to race solo around world after finishing 4-month journey". CBS Boston. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
3. "Boothbay woman wins Bermuda One Two 2023 Yacht Race". Boothbay Register. July 6, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
4. Graves, Jack. "Brauer First Female to Win Bermuda One-Two". The East Hampton Star. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
5. "A record on the high seas: Cole Brauer to be first US woman to sail solo around the world". USA TODAY. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
6. Mullan, Lydia (September 19, 2023). "Racing: Heading South, Going Solo". Sail Magazine. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
7. "Cole Brauer sails into history with solo race around the world". TODAY.com. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
8. "Cole Brauer finishes the Global Solo Challenge in Second Place". www.sail-world.com. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
9. Museler, Chris (February 29, 2024). "Alone on the Ocean, With 400,000 Friends". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
10. Mullan, Lydia (March 8, 2024). "How Cole Brauer Captured The World". Sail Magazine. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
11. Sullivan, Greg. "This sailor left Newport to race solo/non-stop around the world, the first US woman to do it". USA TODAY. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
12. Belmore, Ryan (July 20, 2024). "Cole Brauer named recipient of America and the Sea Award at Mystic Seaport Museum". What's Up Newp.
13. "US Sailing's Rolex Yachtsman & Yachtswoman of the Year Awards - US Sailing". US Sailing. Archived from the original on December 24, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2025.