大象传媒

"Sailing's been my whole life. It's been my career, my passion, but it was a challenge to go that far for that long on your own," said Pippa, having completed a trip from Uruguay to the UK in early 2009.

It was all preparation for her entry into the big one - the Original Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race (OSTAR) which set off from Devon on 25 May 2009. Pippa's journey from South America told her she was able to spend a long time on her own:

"The most bizarre thing is not talking to somebody for 57 days. By the third week I was having full conversations with myself, birds, inanimate objects!

"I enjoyed my own company, but I was really busy. There's always something to do, so it fills that space and there's no loneliness.

"The first people I saw were the customs people back in the UK, who did a bit of a raid on me.

"They weren't really expecting what they got - a woman who hadn't spoken to anybody. One guy was taking notes and he had to keep telling me to stop talking!"

Looking for New England

Pippa's vessel for the OSTAR race is an Oyster Lightwave 365 built around 20 years ago. It's 12 metres long (39 feet), was built in Ipswich, fitted in Southampton and is made of fibreglass. She bought it in 2002 and that's when it got its name - The Shed:

Crossing off the boats she's overtaken

"When we bought it, it was in a bit of a state, so we thought that everyone else would call her a shed, so we'd better get in first!"

It also comes equipped with a satellite phone, so Pippa will hear human voices before she gets back on land.

She spent a month carrying out preparatory work on The Shed - sanding, structural repairs to the mast and boom and fitting new sails. The finance of racing the boat comes from sponsors including several firms from Levington Marina on the River Orwell.

Swallows and amazons in Suffolk

Pippa got the sailing bug very early on. Her grandparents and parents introduced her to sailing on the Deben at Waldringfield. Childhood excursions would take her along the Suffolk and Essex coast to places such as the Butley River and the Walton backwaters.

The Shed starts OSTAR 2009

Her parents, John and Mary, still live in Felixstowe and John is an assistant vicar at St Mary's Church in Woodbridge.

Instead of going to college after school, Pippa went straight into the world of yachting where she now works as a teacher with Yacht Master's qualifications. Her professional career has taken her round the world to the Caribbean and New Zealand, and she doesn't think her folks are worried about her safety.

"My mum knows I'm a good sailor. They're parents, so they do worry a bit, but she's also up there as my number one fan."

Boobies and dolphins

Concentration and tiredness are two of the issues of sailing across the Atlantic on your own. "One of the ways of stopping myself falling to sleep when I'm tired is singing. I know the words to most of Paul Simon's greatest hits," said Pippa.

"I see a lot of seabirds - particularly boobies around the equator and then there are porpoises swimming in the bow wave. They want to interact with you.

"I've put the boat on autopilot and lied down on the bow with my head and shoulders over the front and I've talked and sung to them. They roll over onto their backs and they are looking at you.

"I was with one for about an hour, and with my hand over the side, I eventually touched its dorsal fin and we both went 'whoahh'!

"OSTAR is going to be a technically demanding race and I can expect some force 8 winds, harsher weather. I've had my first single-handed trip, but this is my first single-handed race, so I need to up my game.

Pippa on The Shed

"I would like to think that I can come out with a good result. I can guarantee I'll be
trying my hardest and not having a cup of tea and slacking."

Results section

Pippa reached the Newport finish point at around 1030 local time on 17 June 2009. Once all the boats are in, the organisers work out the 'corrective' times (based on a yachting handicap system) and publish the final positions table.

The first boat to actually cross the line out of all the classes was Dutchman Jan Kees Lampe sailing La Promesse in the PD class. He arrived at 0510 on 12 June.

For full results visit the OSTAR website.