June 28, 2018

Welcoming the winners

The moment seven women stepped simultaneous, arm-in-arm, off their Melges 32 to ring the bell of victory for First Federal’s Team Sail Like a Girl on Sunday, 00:17 PST, became the 4th champions of the R2AK – No motor, no support 750 cold water miles from Port Townsen Washington to Ketchikan Alaska . It was clear the spirit of community supplanted individual ambition as the central force carrying this year’s $10k winners into the rare air of R2AK glory. As much as this was a win for any one of them, to a sailor, they said, it was a win for everyone.

Glory shot!

Team Sail Like a Girl was an idea and a 20-year-old race boat purchased based on a single theory: let’s race a team of women to Alaska. The odds were stacked against them: a monohull had never won the R2AK, the pure speed advantage of multihulls loomed large as a forgone conclusion in a race with no handicaps. Beyond the boat, the crew assembled ran the gamut of experience. Captain Jeanne Goussev told CYOnboard that “for us this race was never about winning it was about the human spirit seeking adventure, tackling challenges as a team and supporting each other in our own journeys, together along the way!”.

Visit the following for more information and photography:

https://r2ak.com/2018-daily-updates/2018-day-7-sailing-victorious-on-the-wind-of-together/

https://www.instagram.com/teamsaillikeagirl/

https://www.facebook.com/TeamSailLikeAGirl/