Gabi Schenkel has been a crazy journey. The year 2020 is two months old, from Zurich, spent almost the entire time on the Atlantic. In a rowing boat crossing the ocean, all alone. Overall, she was 74 days, 23 hours and 56 minutes on the road. When they arrived, the emotions big, it tears flowed.

Now the leg is on the Caribbean island of Antigua is a popular Person. She goes to school classes, to tell of your adventure. And she told in the Interview, as you are on the road is perceived. As they digested the numerous setbacks, what animal companion were you the only company. And also, what song can you listen to these two tough months even.

your sleep rhythm came in the last 75 days, pretty messed up. You can already sleep through the night?
no, my left Hand still is a problem. I always Wake up again in pain and have to get up. But it will come back, is only temporary. I feel good, even if everything is a bit surreal.

Wiggles it under the feet?
not at all. This was one hour after arrival back well. The System has adapted quickly. Last night I had a nightmare, woke up and thought: "Ui, I must look to it that I drift too far South." I taught myself, and then I realized: "Ah, I'm not in the boat."

Here it wobbled yet: Gabi thigh first steps on Land. (Image: Atlantic Campaigns/Ted Martin)

What you indulge in after 75 days at sea First?
I couldn't actually choose, I got from the organization, a Burger with fries and a little Chabissalat served. The salad I ate first. During the Interview at the finish I said that I would look forward to chocolate. A woman went out and came back with six bars, I've eaten all the Dessert. There was also rum punch, I took a non-alcoholic, otherwise I would be upset. (laughs)

The first nights in a normal bed, the first real shower – like wars?
The shower was amazing. My parents warned me, the pressure would be so well here, the shower was a trickle. But as I stood under the shower, I thought: This is pure luxury. I washed the salt off the hairs, lay on the bed and slept for four hours, it was wonderful. Since then, it is funny to see how my body finds: "Are you actually still? You're rowed for two and a half months and now you're not doing anything more?" He begins to rebel.

Antigua is a vacation Paradise. You can enjoy it a little?
Clear. Today, the boat Builder will go home on Sunday my parents. Then I have four more days for me to get to the point where I understand what I have produced. I walk through the streets, and people speak to me, they say I'm an Inspiration and thank me for my positive way. Last year there was a four team from Antigua, this time none. The Rudder said of the Team: "Antigua is in love with you", you fanten for me.

you are a ultra marathon runner. What you have done now is somehow comparable with previous sporting challenges?
you can't compare The almost. From the Effort it was not at all in some cases so difficult. I never had muscle soreness. Only lots of bruises, once I had 17 bruises on one leg, I looked like a Dalmatian. But otherwise: I could not because I had to come back every day to the bags. Of course, there were times when it was intense.

you rowed for 24 hours at a stretch.
That was hard. I rowed in the Morning at half past five, at 23 o'clock I went to sleep a half an hour, and up to the finish the next Morning, not more. I had a night of rowing, because I would have been blown off the flow otherwise from the course. I had to give me slaps in the face to not fall asleep. There, I wish I had a second Person on Board.

After almost 24 hours at a stretch: Gabi leg arrives at the port of Antigua. (Image: Atlantic Campaigns/Ted Martin)

2019 was a horror year. Pay everything now?
Absolutely. A number of occasions. It was not easy, but it was worth it. The more value that I bring, is immense. Personally, I knew that I would be challenged. It was also what happened. I had before the Start, about 500 Instagram Followers, there are now 2200. Only with the photos I shared. I read so many comments that I never expected. People thank me, this is very nice.

you Got during the race?
I got someone who fixed the media requests for me. He sent me Screenshots of comments. This has helped a lot. He sent them whenever I had a bear market, with the note: reading for tonight. A large part of it was from people I did not know. This gave me the energy to keep on pushing.

they had planned earlier to arrive. It was difficult to accept that it went on for a bit longer?
My first rudder broke after five hours. And I was right at the beginning of sick, had to take antibiotics and slept up to ten hours. I had eaten no substance, and barely, because I was seasick. So I knew early on that there would not be enough for my birthday (26. January) and for the world record anyway. But I had no problems with it. Just as I drifted away because of broken auto-pilot to the far South, I had a heavy heart. I didn't know, however, that it was over.

they had already been trained on the sea, after a month or so, they were flushed but a wave from the boat. That must have been a new experience.
It wasn't so bad. The Wind was already fierce. The waves come mostly from several directions. It is these nasty side waves. I found it cool and set the GoPro to show how I surf such waves. Suddenly this wave that washed me from the boat, then came. Can't train you.

they danced and sang. But once it is rinsed Gabi thigh, even from the boat. (Video: Gabi leg)

Were you afraid of?
You don't have time for it. I spoke knew to myself, I mustn't panic. I had to secure my rudder, which was still in the water,, cleaned a half hour and was short on a satellite phone. And then the tears came. I went into the cabin, it was freezing, I was wet. The adrenaline was gone. It was a challenge to process. I was able to talk with anyone, no one could take me in your arms.

Made them the loneliness in such situations to create?
It would have been different easier. At that time there was people me physically extreme. As the satellite was phone, it was the biggest dream, to speak with someone. As the support came in the yacht, I cried only because I was able to after four weeks, talk to someone. This is probably difficult to ascertain.

The One-Woman-Team: leg when Brushing your Boots. (Image: Atlantic Campaigns/Ted Martin)

you Have the diary?
I have more than 256 megabytes of conversations. Every day I talked for 10 to 30 minutes on a tape. I'm going to transcribe in the next few days, and chronological split.

published Videos in which they sing and dance. There is a song you can't hear?
Yes, because it was in all the Playlists: "American Pie" by Don McLean. I can do it now by heart, but I don't think it's so chic. And, somehow, has "of The Shoop Shoop Song" by Cher in my Playlists welded. A bad song, I never had time to delete it. It is only now that it is gone. The Dancing was mainly to loosen my body. It did well, because I had just sat and lower back pain. It had a great deal of sense, not only Fun.

What was your greatest Moment?
As for me, the support yacht visited. Three whales came and the were for a while. And there's this little bird, with whom I collided on the fourth night was. He collapsed on my boat. Three minutes later, he had recovered, and up to two days before the finish, he came back every day and accompanied me. I named him Reginald.

How to do it more now?
I need to find a space for my osteopathy practice and back to work. I signed up for an Ultramarathon in Greece, the participants will be drawn. Let's see if this works, which is in September. And there are in the Engadine, a new ultra trail, I want to make also.

So no time to rest?
But, just a bit. I don't stress me. I want to enjoy with my tent in the mountains and a sunrise. I am going to put together from my experiences but also presentations, there are so many interesting aspects to it. A book I would write, too.

The eagerly-awaited arrival: Gabi leg in the port of Antigua. (Video: Atlantic Campaigns)

Created: 28.02.2020, 21:00 clock