Former resident setting sights on around the world sailing excursion

MEDIA RELEASE from Team Revolution Sailing

After facing years of discrimination and violent attacks, American transgender woman and solo sailor Sabreena Lachlainn is heading to Australia to inspire her community by becoming the first transgender woman to sail solo, nonstop, unaided and Unassisted Around the World in 2020.

The courageous sailor hopes to join the ranks of such accomplished female sailing legends such as Australia's own Kay Cottee and Jessica Watson, she hopes to etch her name along side in history, are Dee Caffari, Ellen MacArthur, Isabelle Autissier and Naomi James.

"Sailing solo nonstop around the world is probably the single most difficult task to achieve but if I can succeed I want for it to be a message to my community that anything is possible if you have a dream and are willing to work hard to achieve it, regardless of the cost personally and professionally." said Lachlainn.

While Lachlainn endeavors to be the first trans-woman she is hopeful that her attempt will be recognized by the World Speed Sailing Council in the Women's Category. "It would be a very humbling experience and honor to join such sailing legends and my heroes Kay Cottee, Jessica Watson, Ellen MacArthur, Isabelle Autissier, Naomi James and Dee Caffari in the record books as having achieved such a difficult challenge as this." said Lachlainn.

The former Women's Professional Footballer was just four years old when she realized she was born in the wrong body and battled with that confusion into her early thirties. "I had no idea what I was dealing with, no understanding why I felt the way I did but I remember arguing with my mom that I was a girl and her insisting I was a boy, it was a complete nightmare, the confusion I battled for most of my young life led me to multiple suicide attempts." said Lachlainn.

Growing up in a town of 400 people long before the advent of the Internet, Lachlainn says she had no idea what she was dealing with and no name for what she was feeling, it wasn't until her 33rd birthday she found the strength and courage to live as her true self when her ex-wife Gloria encouraged her to transition after their divorce.

"After 13 years of marriage she sat me down, held my hands and looked me in the eyes and told me she loved me, that she knew I had to transition to save my life but that she could not continue on as my wife because she could not be married to a woman, so on August 25, 2001 we went our separate ways."

While Lachlainn's ex-wife supported her decision her family didn't, disowning her until the summer of 2015.

"I did not come out to my family until New Year's Eve 2002 and it went very bad, to the point I was forced to go into hiding due to death threats that were made against me, it was a nightmare I would not wish upon another living soul." said Lachlainn. Sadly Lachlainn experienced more discrimination when she became the very first openly transgender woman to play in a Nationally sanctioned Women's Pro Football League in the United States, suiting up for the Detroit Predators of IWFL- Independent Women's Football League in 2005. While she courageously paved the way for other transgender women to compete as professional athletes she says bounties were placed on her by players and coaches from opposing teams. In devastating fashion her career was ended after nine seasons when two of her final three seasons she had her legs broken intentionally to get her out of the league. The end would come against the Derby City Dynamite as her tibia was shattered by a vicious intentional hit to her right lower leg.

With the end of her football career came the rebirth of her childhood dream, to sail solo, nonstop around the world. In 2010 her dream was brought back to life while following then 16-year-old Australian Jessica Watson and American Abby Sunderland's competing attempts to be the youngest to sail solo nonstop around the world.

"After my career ended in 2014 I knew it was now or never for me, that if I wanted my dream to come true I had to start laying out a road map to make that dream a reality." Lachlainn said

Her dream has been anything but smooth sailing with Lachlainn seeking out sponsors willing to get behind and support her dream, because the cost of sailing solo nonstop around the world is prohibitively expensive.

"In order to achieve my dream, sponsors are absolutely critical to my success or failure as the costs associated with this endeavor are prohibitively expensive and sometimes beyond the reach of even the best sailors in the world." said Lachlainn.

Potential Sponsors wanting to find out more information about Lachlainn's journey can contact Team Revolution Sailing by emailing teamrevolutionsailing@gmail.com