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Dee
Caffari & Aviva Challenge - Caffari triumphs as first
woman to complete solo non-stop round-the-world voyage against
prevailing winds and currents.
 Dee
Caffari onboard Aviva crossed the official finish line at
17:55:42 (BST) on 18 May 2006
Yachtswoman Dee Caffari, 33, has triumphed over extreme isolation,
lethal icebergs, mountainous waves, vicious storms and hurricane
force winds to set a new world record as the first woman to
sail round the world solo, non-stop against the prevailing
winds and currents.
Caffari's record-breaking 29,100 mile voyage lasted 178 days,
3 hours, 6 minutes and 15 seconds*. She crossed the official
finish line in sight of the observer from the World Sailing
Speed Record Council (WSSRC)** off Lizard Point, UK, and completed
a passage which ensures her a place in maritime history.
"When I crossed the line I was overwhelmed with emotion,
it was the proudest moment of my life and becoming the first
woman to complete this voyage is a great honour. I have been
dreaming about this moment since the idea was first born,
visualising it when things got tough and thinking about how
it would feel, and when I did it a huge wave of relief and
happiness washed over me," said Caffari.
"It was a voyage of absolute extremes, and it pushed
my limits further than I had imagined. There were times when
I couldn't see an end to it and I questioned whether I could
do it. One of the hardest things was the mental challenge
of dealing with it all on my own, but the support from my
shore team and the outstanding performance of the yacht helped
me bounce back when it got really tough. Now I'm physically
and mentally exhausted but I don't think I've ever been happier
and I can't wait to celebrate the achievement surrounded by
family and friends!"
Sir Chay Blyth, Caffari's mentor and the first person to complete
the same arduous voyage in 1971, commented:
"Dee has demonstrated an astonishing range of skills
and attributes to complete this remarkable voyage. Her determination
is second to none and she has inspired people all over the
world to take on their own challenges."
Patrick Snowball, executive director of Aviva, the international
savings, investment and insurance group, Caffari's sponsor
said:
"On behalf of everyone at Aviva, I congratulate Dee on
this incredible achievement. In the past six months Dee has
inspired thousands of people around the world with her daily
endeavours. Aviva is proud to have been part of the team behind
this magnificent solo performance."
Sailing round the world against the prevailing winds and currents
has been so hard because the elements were literally against
Caffari for much of the voyage. The straight-line course around
the world from east to west is approximately 24,500, but Caffari
was forced to sail an extra 4600 miles, illustrating the difficulty
of sailing upwind and the need to regularly change course
to avoid dangerous storms when she was in the Southern Ocean.
Heading from east to west round the world in this way also
places immense strain on the yacht.
"Sailing against the wind is an uncompromising and often
brutal point of sail, and Dee has met the physical challenge
time and time again, but her ability to take on complex electrical
and mechanical repairs and maintenance in highly stressful
situations has also been vital in her success," says
Aviva Challenge project director Andrew Roberts.
"We have sent 50 Challenge yachts across the Southern
Ocean and the conditions Dee encountered were the worst we
have ever seen. Yet when she rounded the Cape of Good Hope
and returned to the Atlantic Aviva was in better condition
than any of the other Challenge yachts that have sailed through
this most hostile ocean, despite the pounding. Dee's seamanship
and attention to detail, not just in the Southern Ocean but
throughout the voyage, has made this remarkable achievement
possible."
Caffari will now make her way to Ocean Village in Southampton,
UK where HRH The Princess Royal, Patron of The Challenge Business
International Limited, will welcome her back to dry land at
the end of her marathon journey. HRH The Princess Royal was
the first person to welcome home Dee's mentor, Sir Chay Blyth,
when he became the first person to complete this voyage back
in 1971. Thousands of people are expected to celebrate her
homecoming which is scheduled to be 12.00 noon (BST) Sunday
21 May 2006.
* Dee Caffari's official start time was 13h 49m 29s, Monday
21 November 2005
** Rule 26(a) of the WSSRC rules 2005-2008 states that to
sail round the world, a vessel must start from, and return
to, the same point. As Dee began the voyage at The Lizard,
UK, she will return to the same point to officially complete
her circumnavigation.
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