Youngest solo Atlantic rower takes on global race

The youngest woman to row the Atlantic alone is taking on an around the world solo sailing race in her latest challenge.

Jasmine Harrison, 25, completed the 3,000-mile row aged 21 in 2021. The following year she was the first woman to swim the full length of the British Isles.

Now, the swimming teacher, from Thirsk, North Yorkshire, is preparing to spend 14 months at sea, sailing a distance of 28,000 nautical miles, as part of the Mini Globe Race.

Speaking ahead of the race she said she was looking forward to it, but was "dreading storms and big waves".

Ms Harrison is one of 30 competitors to set to leave Portugal for the Caribbean island of Antigua, before heading westwards around the globe.

The challenge covers a total of 23,500 miles (37,820km) and takes in stops such as Panama, Tahiti, Fiji, Darwin and Cape Town.

She said although she was able to have contact with family and friends while at sea she had felt "immediately homesick" when she travelled to Portugal for the start of the race.

"It was really difficult to leave people and leave my dogs but now I've got a lot of work to do and you have to get used to the next stage," she said.

Ms Harrison said preparations for the race involved taking a lot of provisions with her, including spam and chocolate.

She said her19ft (5.8m) yacht, would be sailing the entire time of the race, even when she was asleep, but she would need to check the boat every half an hour.

"I know for the first leg I'm not going to sleep, I'm going to be so terrified getting used to the boat and the new steering system," she said.

But, Ms Harrison said, "you just get used to sleep deprivation".

She added: "If you can see another boat there's no way you're going to fall asleep when you know you could hit it."

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