Round the world Emma

Pindar girl Emma Richards announces her latest venture

A problem with taking part in both the Route du Rhum or Around Alone at present is simply that there are no boats available. Fortunately back in April Richards and her team were already in negotiations with Josh Hall to get Gartmore for the Route du Rhum. Unfortunately it was around this time that on a delivery back from Brazil the mast on Hall's Open 60 came down. "It was extremely unfortunate for Josh and everything, but at the end of the day Josh has ended up with a new mast and rigging and we've ended up not having to replace all the rigging and everything before the start. Far from ideal, but we've ended up in a good situation," says Richards.

Currently Gartmore/Pindar is in Cowes where she's just done the Round the Island Race and a couple of weeks of corporate sailing with Pindar. The new mast still needs some work doing to it and the plan is to change to some bigger Harken winches. "Although I've got some little Pop-Eye muscles on me, they are not quite big enough," Richards admits. The boat will be taken down to Brixham shortly and in around three weeks time Richards will set off in her singlehanded across the Atlantic to Newport. This will include the 2,000 mile qualifier for Around Alone and during this passage she will also have prove that she has successfully taken some astro positions...

Graham Dalton on Hexagon is also looking to make the passage at around the same time and it is possible that the duo might make the passage in tandem, for safety reasons if nothing else.

Another of aspect of Richards' Around Alone campaign that could prove significant is that in addition to getting Hall's boat to do Around Alone, she will also get the benefit of Hall's experience - he has taken part in the race three times, although one resulted in his boat sinking and another in a dismasting. She will also get Gartmore's shore crew and in solo offshore racing, as so many campaigns have proved, preparation is everything.

Bon chance Emma.

Emma will be sailing this beast 28,000 miles around the world