Making a splash across the pond The youngest female sailor ever to compete in the Original Single-handed Transatlantic Race (OSTAR) is aiming to finish in 21 days, just three days longer than the world record for a boat under 35 feet.
Katie Miller, who will be 22 at the start of the OSTAR in May and has already been tipped as the next Ellen MacArthur, is training for the race after clinching a two-year sponsorship deal with software firm bluQube. She will sail a 33ft Beneteau Figaro II and expects to average speeds of six knots. Miller said that although her boat is smaller than many that take part, this is outweighed by the fact that it is speedy – it reached 35 knots in the bluQube1000 Solo race while qualifying for the OSTAR – and is designed specifically for single-handed sailing. “You also have to take into account the handful of competitors who will not complete the race, either for tactical reasons or because of illness or equipment failure,” she said.
However, weather conditions could prove challenging: “The OSTAR takes you straight across the north Atlantic from Plymouth to Newport in Rhode Island, so we will run against strong south-westerly winds for the entire race,” said Miller. “We will also be sailing from one depression to the next so will experience gale-force winds and storms for much of the journey.”
Miller aims to cover between 150 and 200 miles each day to complete the 3,000-mile race. Sleep will be divided into short, 20-minute bursts, although sophisticated GPS technology and alarm systems will allow her to rest for up to an hour if the weather is calm.
The OSTAR begins May 25th. For more information on the race and Katie Miller, visit www.katiemillerracing.com or www.ostar2009.co.uk