Student makes maiden sea crossing in Spirit’s race debut

Father and daughter Kevin and Hannah Horsfield are among the crew of Spirit of Bermuda.

June 16, 2012 — Somersfield Academy student Hannah Horsfield will have plenty to tell her classmates about her maiden ocean crossing when she returns to school. The teenaged sailor is aboard the Spirit of Bermuda that is competing in this year’s Newport Bermuda Race. At the age of 15, Hannah is one of the youngest participants in the 635-mile ‘Thrash to the Onion Patch’ — something she takes great pride in.

“I think it’s great that I’m 15 and already doing an ocean crossing,” she smiled. “It’s definitely a privilege to be in the race and I’m excited and can’t wait to have lots of fun. I love Spirit and I think this will be a great experience because tall ship racing is fun. The team work is also fun and I know most of the crew through my father (Kevin). I think the crew is very diverse. The ages range from 15 to 82 so it’s a great group.”

Hannah’s budding sailing career began in the Optimist dinghy before she eventually progressed to the 420, 29er, and Laser. “What started in me in sailing is that my mother (Dorte) and father both sail and thought it would be a good idea if I went sailing too,” she said. “I just love being out on the water.”

Mr Horsfield, who is also on-board Spirit for the Race, has no doubts his daughter will rise to the big occasion. “I’m confident she will be up for it,” he said. “She’s anxious as all young people are, but she’s a survivor and so she’ll make it. She will do well. Hannah has always been asking ‘when are we going to do some offshore sailing’? This is my tenth Bermuda Race and I’m very pleased she can join us for this.”

The veteran offshore sailor said he feels privileged to be sailing on Spirit’s maiden voyage in the classic ocean race. “It’s definitely an honour to be on Spirit’s maiden Newport Bermuda Race voyage,” he said. “Soon as I was offered the opportunity to sail I responded immediately.”

Spirit is owned by the Bermuda Sloop Foundation, whose mandate is to provide “superior” character development to a large number of the Island’s youth using “unique” attributes of experimental learning via sail training on the 118ft triple mast sloop. “I think Spirit is great,” Hannah said. “It gets a lot of children outside the house and teaches them how to sail and team work. It also gives them experience on a lot of other important things like learning how to cook.”

Originally published in The Royal Gazette