Rutherford Closes Loop

At 10:48 a.m. EDT this morning, Annapolis’s Matt Rutherford crossed his outbound track, closing the loop on his record-setting nonstop solo circumnavigation of North and South America. The 31-year-old sailor set off from his hometown last June 11 aboard his Albin Vega 27 St. Brendan and has suffered through terrible weather — including nearly non-existent wind for the last couple days — broken gear, and bodily injury to reach his goal. His perseverance was, in part, to help a cause close to his heart: Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating. A party in his honor will be held this Saturday at noon at the National Sailing Hall of Fame dock in Annapolis, if you happen to be in the area, where Rutherford plans to step ashore for the first time in over 300 days. Congratulations to Matt on an amazing journey!