Hashtag Salvideo

The first woman to complete Cape Town-Rio solo | #SAL #409

22 March 2026 · 1h 10m · 30K views · Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Sailboat surges through choppy Atlantic waters under full sail

What this video covers

Theodora, a solo sailor, completed the Cape to Rio regatta aboard a J/40 CLASSIC, covering the 3,500-mile passage from Cape Town to Brazil in 29 days. To prepare for the solo crossing, she purchased the vessel in Cape Town and performed a comprehensive refit at a local shipyard, which included replacing the standing rigging and servicing the rudder. During the initial stages of the race, the wind vane’s submerged blade fractured, forcing her to divert to Saldanha Bay for repairs. She was towed to the bay by another competitor, the yacht *Fried*, before continuing the race. The passage presented significant challenges, including four days of 40-knot headwinds and 4-meter seas near the Brazilian coast, which required constant sail management and fatigue management. The project emphasized the importance of local maritime expertise and thorough vessel preparation for solo offshore racing.

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Boats in this video

Beneteau First 310Compared

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