Set the scene for us! Route Douarnenez (Brittany, France) > Lanzarote (Canaries) > Guadeloupe (Caribbean) Dates of each leg Prologue: Douarnenez: 13th September (sponsors invited) Start: 19th September, 1300 hr (French time) First arrival in the Canaries (Lanzarote): 27th September Depart the Canaries (Lanzarote): 31st October, 1200 hr (local time) Estimated finish in Guadeloupe: 14th November (for the prototypes, the faster boats). Miles (nm) Leg one: 1250 nm Leg two: 2770 nm Total: 4020 nm Read the questions & answers with Lizzy here: How many British hopefuls have qualified to date? Three so far – me and Nikki Curwen in the prototype class and Toby Iles in the series class. Becky Scott is hoping to qualify for the race in the series class. It will be interesting as all the Brits have different boats to each other – Nikki a proto, me a Pogo 2, Toby a RG 6.50 and Becky Scott a Nacra. How many are there in your class? 42 How many classes do the Race? The entry limit is 84 boats, split between the Series and Prototypes. Series are 'one-design', Prototypes are more one-offs. Is it predominantly French (so it makes you a special focus to be racing and ranked amongst these racers?) Yes, it is mostly French – 17 so far in my class but also a few from Italy, Portugal, Switzerland and Belgium. Why do you choose to sail solo? For the adventure, the challenge, the freedom… racing solo is very different to fully crewed sailing. You have nobody to blame, nobody to argue or discuss with, nobody to do the cooking for you… yes, it can be lonely, but this makes the lead-up and finish to races very special. Classe Mini is renowned for being a friendly and supportive class – in no other type of racing have I eaten every evening with all the other competitors!
How important is it to you to win? For me, the first goal is to finish! By the time I get to the start line, it will be the culmination of two seasons of hard work preparing the boat and ultimately five years since I first began my quest to sail solo. To get the funding, resources and opportunities together to do this race has taken an immense amount of commitment, hard work and dedication – nobody in my family is a 'yachtie'. I first got to grips with yacht racing through the British Keelboat Academy and later the Artemis Offshore Academy – I have always had to push and prove myself to get to where I want to be. By the start of the race my boat will be nearly 10 years old, with a number of new builds on the race track – e.g. this year the Ofcet, Pogo 3 and Ska 6.50 are all hoping to be confirmed Series entries (10 new boats are required to become a 'series' entry, otherwise they will race in the prototype class), while boats 2-3 years old include the Argo, Nacra and RG 6.50. The top guys in the fleet will already have 2-3 Transats under their belts. I am really working hard for a top 10 finish and first Brit and first woman. How much dried food – packets – do you take with you? A mix of freeze dried and boil in the bag – 42 packets. In the Azores Race in 2014 I took far too many packets of food- I had actually eaten a lot more flapjack, tins of tuna and French toast and soups than meals! I will aim to eat two packet meals a day, with instant porridge for breakfast. At midnight I like a small meal / snack – big flapjack or cuppa soup. Snacks wise, I will try to eat some fresh or tinned fruit. How much fresh food – favourites? Hard to take fresh food. I will set off with a couple of bread rolls, ham and cheese, apples and oranges. Special treats Waitrose Filter coffee, chocolate coated raisins, apples. Litres of water or watermaker I carry 10L jerry cans. Autopilot? I have three. An NKE hydraulic ram which is permanently attached to the rudders. Two Raymarine pilots to use in an emergency / if power is running low. Number of sails Seven – a mainsail, jib, storm jib, a gennaker and three spinnakers. Do you have an engine in case of emergency No! We are towed in and out of the harbour by a RIB when racing. When training or doing a delivery, I use a Torqeedo Travel 1003 – an excellent electric engine, which I charge up onboard my using a solar panel. Do you have a radio in case of emergency Yes, this is compulsory. Usually in offshore racing boats you carry a satellite phone for emergencies and media coverage, but the Mini class is all about 'pure sailing' – we are not allowed to make contact with land during the race. How important is your clothing? What do you wear e.g. layers…dealing with extremes in weather and temperature? Essential. I have no bed, shower or heater onboard. So, staying warm and dry is crucial. My technical outer layer is all Hudson Wight, their HW1s – the Jacket or my Smock teamed with Salopettes. The Hudson Wight kit is an excellent fit and very lightweight, which I really love – it makes me feel 'ready for action'. The Jacket also has a very well designed hood and a high collar that importantly keeps my neck warm, while the fleece lining prevents salt rash. Thermals, I wear Magic Marine padded leggings, fantastic to stop bruises while being thrown around inside. I then wear O'Three thermals which have been designed for deep sea diving – very fleecy and thick, these do the trick! On my hands, feet and head, I wear a range of Sealskinz socks, gloves, beanies, and caps. I am currently working with SealSkinz as an ambassador, so I get to try out all the new innovations. Do you have a loo on board? I have two buckets (one spare!). Going to the loo is a bit of a hassle, especially in a 30 knot breeze with the boat on its side. I would actually really like a gimbled bucket with loo roll holder… What's the most important thing on the boat? Three things; the autopilot, my life line, and head torch. Minis are such a handful to sail that being attached is essential while without the autopilot you can't sleep – and a head torch also helps you to manage at night! What's on your iPod? At sea, I like to listen to Coldplay, Snow Patrol, Thin Lizzy, Pearl Jam. A bit of drum N' base, dance music, and jazz too, no artists in particular. What are you most looking forward to? 'Getting away from it all', surfing downwind until I see land appear on the horizon. I went to both Lanzarote and Guadeloupe to follow the 2013 Mini Transat, and am actually really looking forward to going back to Lanzarote – there are some fantastic caves and artwork by Cesar Manrique. In Guadeloupe, I'll be after homemade coconut ice-cream! What is your worst nightmare? Losing the keel. I actually do have nightmares about this sometimes. How do you prepare for this race generally - anything special done to the boat? It depends on the length of the race. For the longer offshore races we need to take more safety equipment, water, food – this needs to be packed and organized well. For every race I have a general checklist I follow – e.g. checking the rigging, mast, spreader brackets is essential. How do you sleep, or don't you? I sleep in twenty minute naps when I am close to shore / other boats, relying on a Solo Sails Sleep timer to wake me up. Further offshore it is ok for one hour – but obviously the more you sleep, the less you are sure to be heading in a good direction as fast as possible. It is a fine balance between being fresh and being too knackered to perform! Are you prepared for sleep deprivation? I have had a lot of practice and generally finish races feeling more refreshed then when I started – due to the stress of getting the boat ready for races and planning the navigation, routing etc. I have not hallucinated while sailing the mini – which has happened before – so I have definitely improved my sleep management. How long are you out of sight of land? Pretty much from day 2. Crossing the Bay of Biscay I will be offshore and then there is nothing until Lanzarote! What are the best weather conditions for you? I am quite fast upwind in light winds, so I like that. Downwind, 17 - 20 knots is perfect – a change over between sails makes things interesting while the boat can get flying. How long do you spend in Guadeloupe and what will you do there? There will be a compulsory few days at the finish to see all the competitors arrive and for the prize giving. I will have a good party and sleep, and do some exploring. After the Transat I plan to sail on to the Pacific finishing in New Zealand, so actually I will have a lot on after the race to prepare for this. Are your family going out to the start/Guadeloupe? My closest family will be at the start in France and hopefully for the stop over in Lanzarote. I very much hope my parents, sister and partner will be able to come to Guadeloupe. I have a lot of saving to do to be able to pay the flights! Will people at home be able to track you and follow your progress online? Yes – thanks to YB Tracking, I have a map on my website so you can see where I am during training and deliveries between France and England. During the races, we are all supplied with a Yellow Brick tracker and each race has a dedicated website, Facebook and Twitter page where you can keep up to date. What piece of advice would you offer other young up and coming sailors? Work out what you want from sailing – do you want to race? Inshore or offshore? Fully crewed, double handed or solo? Knowing what direction you want to go in can help you to plan a race season tailored towards your goal – e.g. for fully crewed or double handed, there are plenty of series in the Solent tailored this type of racing. Getting in touch with yacht clubs to be put on a crew list and joining the Young members groups can be excellent ways to get a spot onboard. The most important thing is to always remember why you are going sailing – for the fun and the freedom! Managing a sailing campaign can be extremely time-consuming, stressful and sometimes it seems you are getting nowhere – but if you believe you can achieve your goals, you can. I always like to have another interest alongside sailing – for the past two years I have competed in the Haute Route cycling events, but now I am focusing on Triathlon, taking on an Iron Man 70.3 in August. I find this good physical training for sailing while also widening your social group. Lizzy's Essentials - Check List Flapjacks made by Mum; ? Teabags; ? 21ft boat with no toilet, bed, cooking facilities; ? Entry into a solo transatlantic yacht race; ?
Wet weather gear? Now that's usually a very complicated business as there's so much choice out there and it's usually so expensive. Where do I begin? I need to stay warm, dry and comfortable…for over 10,000 nautical miles. I have a two-year racing campaign to fund. Every penny counts. The well-known brand names in the chandleries want a minimum of £500 for a jacket alone. I need a smock, salopettes and midshell too! Hmmm. There's a new brand. Hudson Wight Performance Sailwear...waterproof, durable, breathable? They have three colour options and five sizes to choose from, excellent customer service, and free returns? Everything needed for inshore or offshore racing, for less than £900? It can't be possible... can it? Eighteen months on since the company was founded, I have sailed over 5,000 nautical miles purely in Hudson Wight kit; offshore, alone, for up to 12 days at a time at sea. Owing to the OceanVent three-layer technical fabric, the kit quickly sheds any moisture build-up on the inner layer, even when worn for days on end. Believe me, I should know! There's no catch to this lightweight, good looking and high-performance sailwear. Forget about tearing up notes in the shower. Get a set of Hudson Wight HW1s. Not only will you stay dry, but there will be cash left in your pocket too.
Lizzy's objective: To successfully compete in the 2015 Mini Transat starting on September 19th 2015 and then eventually to race in the Vendée Globe in 2020. Title Sponsor 2014-2015: Hudson Wight Performance Sailwear, based in Cowes. DOB: 21/6/90. Lizzy's 24 and will be 25 when she crosses the start line on September 19th. Hometown: Worcester Park, Surrey but spent a lot of time working in Cowes and now trains in France. Background Having sailed since the age of three, Lizzy took to racing in her early teens progressing through the RS Feva, Laser Radial, 29er and RS 700 dinghy classes. At the age of 18, Lizzy began working as a first mate onboard a Clipper and a Whitbread 60. Learning the ropes on these ocean-going race yachts confirmed Lizzy's desire to one day compete in the Vendée Globe; the toughest of solo round-the-world yacht races. Selection for the British Keelboat Academy (BKA) in 2010 marked the start of Lizzy's journey towards this lifelong goal. With the BKA Lizzy managed a number of J80 campaigns, raced in the Farr 45 fleet, took first place in the ½ ton Cup (2011) and fourth place (first lady) in the Etchells Nationals (2011). Lizzy's time with the BKA culminated in the 2012 Brewin Dolphin Commodore's Cup; she managed a team of nine sailors onboard Yeoman of Wight, attaining third place overall, the Most Impressive Yacht and the Twee Gezusters Trophy (1st lady). Gaining experience In her graduation year as a Speech and Language Therapist, Lizzy applied for the Artemis Offshore Academy's 48-hour selection process. Lizzy was the only woman nominated for the 2011 squad, and has since trained in the Figaro and Mini 6.50 classes; renowned as the best starting point for a career in ocean racing. Learning the ropes Throughout 2013, Lizzy also worked as Logistics Assistant at OC Sport in Cowes, helping to coordinate the Academy's fleet and sailors. Working for the company that managed Ellen MacArthur's and Nick Moloney's Vendée Globe campaigns gave Lizzy a wealth of experience in ocean racing campaign management. Lizzy went solo in 2014 With a solid background in short-handed sailing, experience of campaign management, 1600nm miles logged in the Mini 6.50 and having taken a preparateur role at the 2013 Mini Transat, Lizzy had a really busy Spring and Summer in 2014 competing in a number of races in the pursuit of her own offshore racing campaign and to qualify for the 2015 Mini Transat in her Mini 6.50 Hudson Wight (#633). 2015 : Countdown to the Mini Transat April 2015 Tuesday 07 Lizzy competing: Lorient BSM 150 miles double-handed Saturday 11 Lizzy Lorient BSM start Saturday 18 Lizzy Start of the Pornichet Select race Thursday 30 Lizzy competing: Arrives La Trinite Mini in May race 500 mile solo June 2015 Monday 01 Lizzy competing: Arrive Douarnenez to start MAP race 220 miles solo Tuesday 09 Lizzy Competing: Arriving Mini Fastnet 600 miles double-handed Sunday 14 Lizzy: Start of Mini Fastnet Friday 26* Lizzy attends the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race press conference Saturday 27 Lizzy competing in J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race July 2015 Tuesday 21 Lizzy arrives for the Transgascoyne 660 mile solo race Sunday 26 Lizzy Start of Transgascoyne leg one August 2015 Saturday 01 Lizzy Start of Transgascoyne leg two (Escale a Luanco) Saturday 08 Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week Lizzy has her own well-populated and informative http://website and Facebook & Twitter feeds. Hudson Wight Performance Sailwear. ? Hudson Wight Performance Sailwear is Lizzy's title sponsor throughout her two-year Mini Transat campaign and is extremely proud to be supporting the next British sailing star. For more information, please click here