Klas Abrahamsson of Gwynn’s Island completed a lifelong dream this year—a dream to circumnavigate the globe.The 62-year-old native Swede took part in Clipper Round the World, a biennial challenge organized by the British company Clipper Ventures that involves racing 70-foot sailboats around the earth, skippered by licensed professionals but crewed by amateurs. He was one of the amateurs.
Klas said he grew up sailing small dinghies along the southwest coast of Sweden, but adulthood and a career took him away from his home and hobby. In 1994, with a Ph.D. in chemical engineering, he landed a job in Richmond, selling specialized engineering products all over the world. In 2017, he and his wife, Helen, bought their Gwynn’s Island home, then moved there in 2019 after their youngest child graduated from high school. They arrived just in time for Covid. “It was the perfect place to sit,” he said.
In 2021, Klas gave his company notice of his retirement and signed up for Clipper Round the World...