Let me provide you with a brief overview of sailing in Macedonia. While the world was recovering from the world wars, a group of friends and enthusiasts were establishing the Sailing Federation of Macedonia. Initially, they began building small models of sailboats. Shortly thereafter, a sailing school was opened, allowing youngsters to acquire a new set of skills in boat building and sailing.

As the years passed, the numbers increased, goals were achieved, and the results of competitions were more than satisfying, crossing the borders of the former Yugoslavia. A significant leap in sailing occurred after Macedonia gained its independence in 1991. Now, instead of state or national championships, we were able to compete alongside other countries in international regattas. Balkan races were followed by European competitions, and shortly after, we participated in world championships. Now, it is time to venture into the deep waters of our planet Earth.

Decisions Were Made

After many years of dinghy sailing, representing my country around the globe, and witnessing the construction of boats at my sailing club, I began dreaming of something much larger than myself. My vision started becoming clearer as we finished our first sailboat with my dad and his friends back in 2016 – an 8-meter wooden sailboat. As I delved deeper into ocean sailing, I decided to turn my dream into reality: to build a boat and race it across the ocean singlehandedly.

In short, even though my Setka Atlantic Challenge stands as a solo ocean sailing endeavor, it requires a lot of logistics, and that is where the team was established. One of the things that keeps me motivated about this project is the effort put in by all these people, and I am grateful for being able to share this adventure with them. It feels good to achieve great things, but it feels even better when you can share your success. So, a shout-out to everyone who is making this possible.

PEOPLE