She took a lot of criticism when she set out to become the youngest person ever to sail solo around the world, not least because just weeks before setting off whilst on a 10 day sea trial she managed to sail her boat into the side of a merchant ship causing not insignificant damage to her mast and bow, but also because at 16 years of age many commentators thought her too young to attempt to sail solo around the world fearing that it may lead to tragedy.
The truth is, in sailing around the world alone tragedy can potentially visit anyone of any age. The feat itself remains accomplished by only a handful of sailors nearly all of whom would probably say that the risk is part of the attraction; that, when out there alone survival is down to just one person. Self reliance.
Despite all of the criticism, and the fact that the WSSRC (World Speed Sailing Racing Council) will not recognise her achievement as a circumnavigation, politically because they want to distance themselves from assessing youngest sailors record attempts, fearing that they will be associated at some stage with a tragedy, but also because Jessica’s route is a couple of thousand miles short of the official definition of a circumnavigation, a fact I struggle with a little* on the basis that she started and aims to finish at the same point on the globe having sailed around the world and crossed the equator twice, I commend and congratulate Jessica.
It is a fantastic achievement and notwithstanding the controversy and at the risk of repeating myself I’d like to congratulate Jessica on her achievement.
*For the record I agree with the WSSRC in respect that at 2000 miles short of the current holder of the record, Jessie Martin, this does not and can-not be deemed to take his record, but I also maintain this WAS a circumnavigation.
Comments on this entry are closed.