Nineteen-year-old Rachael Betschart, a student of Engineering at the University of Exeter, has successfully completed her ambitious sailing challenge, circumnavigating Bermuda in a high-speed WASZP foiling boat.
This unique endeavour marks Betschart's second time sailing around her home island, having previously completed the feat in 2019 aboard an Optimist Dinghy in just over 10 hours. This time, her goal was to finish in a third of that time, demonstrating both the increased speed of the WASZP and her own significant development as a sailor.
Betschart began her journey at Two Rock, near the Great Sound, setting off westward around Dockyard. She then navigated down the challenging South Shore, rounded Castle Harbour and St. David’s Head, before heading up the often-testing North Shore, eventually finishing back at Two Rock.
She completed the demanding 96.2-kilometre course in an impressive 4.5 hours, maintaining an average speed of 18.9 knots. This accomplishment showcases Betschart's skill, endurance, and the capabilities of the WASZP foiling dinghy.
