Abby Sunderland - An Imperiled Dream

by Matt Tolnick on 22 Sep 2009
Having grown up in, on, and around sailboats, Abby Sunderland made a resolution on her thirteenth birthday: become the youngest person (man or woman) to sail around the world without assistance. At this moment, Abby's dream is in serious danger.

This past summer, Abby's brother, 17 year-old Zac Sunderland, made worldwide headlines when he returned to Marina del Rey, CA after 13 months at sea. Despite fierce weather and a threat from pirates (yes, they still exist!), Zac had accomplished the feat of which Abby first dreamed. Just weeks after Zac's return, his short-lived record was bested by Michael Perham, an English youth who accomplished the unassisted circumnavigation at an age two months junior to Zac's.

Abby is 15 years old. She hails from an American middle-class family and is one of seven children. Her dream is alive but ailing. While she has raised $150,000 from corporate sponsors toward the cost of a used, racing sailboat, she is in need of almost $200,000 more. Abby's window of opportunity is small, as she must depart by November if she is to have a chance at a safe voyage. If she were to wait until the next safe window (the spring), she would be out of contention to break the record. Adding to the pressure is the fact that 16 year old Jessica Watson of Australia has taken aim at Perham's record and has been outfitted with a yacht by Australian sponsors. She is set to leave in a matter of weeks.

Abby's shipwright father, Laurence Sunderland, has identified a boat in the Bahamas that would be safe and suitable for Abby. But her time is running out. She wants the record for her nation. She wants to retake the record for her family (and within the family). Most importantly, she wants this for herself. Please contact Matt Tolnick at Kauffman Sports Management Group (310-456-5400) for more information.