Heather Richard

There are not many female sailors raising their children aboard as a single parent, and that was just the first challenge that Heather Richard faced in preparation for her qualifying passage. Together with her son, she completed the Pacific Cup Race in 2024 – arguably one of the heaviest wind years on record – doublehanded and without using autopilot. Their boat was 50 years old, not competitive with the others, yet they managed to make the crossing within the time limit and without significant damages, unlike many in the fleet.