Susanne Huber-Curphey awarded the Barton Cup

by Ocean Cruising Club 6 Feb 07:39 UTC

The Ocean Cruising Club has awarded single-handed sailor Susanne Huber-Curphey the Barton Cup for 2025, its premiere award. This is not the first time the OCC has recognised Susanne's achievements.

Susanne received the 2017 Barton Cup for her single-handed west-to-east transit of the Northwest Passage in her 39ft self-built cutter Nehaj. In 2019 this was followed by the OCC Seamanship Award recognising her successful completion of La Longue Route 2018/19,

In BLAUWASSERBRIEFS (Blue Water Letters) in Flying Fish 2022/2 she described her 15,000-mile voyage from the Netherlands into the South Atlantic to round - but not stop at - Tristan da Cunha, after which she returned via St Helena and the Azores. While still at sea she was elected to Honorary Membership of the OCC.

Susanne Huber-Curphey is clearly one of those people who finds her greatest happiness at sea. Susanne has now completed La Longue Route for a second time. After leaving the Azores on 15th July 2024 she sailed eastabout south of the Five Great Capes to reach New Zealand on 18th April 2025, 270 days and 33,532 miles later. It was a particularly difficult passage, bedevilled by storms and calms, and of the six starters only three completed the challenge non-stop. Particularly interesting is her account of deploying and recovering her Jordan Series Drogue, which she had to use seven times. For the full story see Flying Fish 2025. This is the outstanding voyage of the past two years and more than meets the Award's requirement of 'an exceptional or challenging voyage... made by an OCC member'. At the time of writing Susanne had left New Zealand and, after a side-trip north to Tonga, rounded Cape Horn yet again, perhaps on her way home to Europe.

The 2025 Jester Award which recognises a noteworthy singlehanded voyage or series of voyages made in a vessel of 30ft or less overall, or a contribution to the art of singlehanded ocean sailing is presented to British single-hander Jasmine Harrison. With very limited prior sailing experience, Jasmine sailed her 5.8 metre plywood yacht, Numbatou, in the 2025 edition of the Mini Globe Race (MGR). Read about all of her courageous exploits on the OCC website and on www.jasmine-harrison.com.

In the second quarter of 2025, Craig Wood completed a feat few thought possible as a triple-amputee: a solo, non-stop, unsupported crossing of the Pacific Ocean (indeed, of any ocean) in a sailing yacht. For this extraordinary accomplishment, the OCC has awarded Craig the OCC Seamanship Award for 2025.

The OCC Award which recognises contributions to the Ocean Cruising Club is given to Helen Holden and David Wilkie, founders and successful administrators of the OCC Charitable Trust which provides support primarily to individuals and organisations involved in sail training and education.

The OCC Award which recognises contributions to the cruising community as a whole is awarded to OCC Members John Franklin and Jenny Crickmore-Thompson, past OCC Commodore and Past OCC Rear Commodore respectively, who founded the Ocean Sailing Association of South Africa (OSASA) to deal with the complexities of cruising around the world during Covid and have since steered the development of South Africa into a major cruising destination. John is currently serving as OCC Rear Commodore for South Africa.

Additional awards for 2025 are described in detail on the OCC website:

• The OCC Lifetime Award to Anne Hammick
• The Vasey Vase to Harry Anderson
• The OCC Environment Award to Duncan Copeland and Larissa Clark
• The David Wallis Award to David Southwell
• The Water Music Trophy to Brian Russell
• The OCC Qualifier's Mug to Heather Richard
• The OCC Events and Rallies Award to Vince Nel
• The OCC Port Officer Service Award to Alasdair Maclean

OCC Commodore Fiona Jones congratulated each of the award recipients for their extraordinary accomplishments. "It is rewarding in itself to bring such impressive endeavors to the world stage. Cruising is by nature a rather isolated activity, so to bring to the forefront and the attention of the world such extraordinary contributions is a privilege.

I want to also thank the Awards Committee Chair Amy Jordan and her devoted Committee members for their diligent selection of award recipients from among the many meritorious nominations," added Commodore Jones.