Sailor to race around the world with amateur crew

The chance to sail around the world is a dream come true, says Zoe Longley

A woman from Derby will spend a year sailing around the world in a 70ft yacht crewed by amateurs.

First mate Zoe Longley will be one of two professional sailors on board one of 10 yachts taking part in the biannual Clipper Round the World Yacht Race - dubbed the "world's toughest endurance challenge".

The crews will make six ocean crossings and call into 14 ports across the globe, including Oban, Cape Town, Qingdao and Seattle.

She said the race was set to be "intense" but the opportunity to sail around the world was a dream come true.

She said: "I've wanted to sail around the world for a long time.

"I've heard it's a bit of a test but I'm very much up for it as I'm sure all the crew are.

"There's lots of pulling on ropes, lots of pulling on sails, lots of boat tilting trying not to fall off."

The race will make six ocean crossings

Each crew, aside from the skipper and first mate, is made up of amateurs who will be steering their vessels 40,000 nautical miles when the event gets under way from Portsmouth on 31 August.

Miss Longley, 27, said: "They don't have to have had any previous experience before they sign up to do the Clipper Race but they would have all done at least four weeks of intense sailing to prepare for the race.

"And then as the race goes on the training continues, it never stops so by the end of the race the circumnavigators are pretty good - there's actually two mates this year that were circumnavigators the race before."

Taking charge of an inexperienced crew means the event carries out a rigorous selection process.

Max Rivers, deputy race director, said: "Our talented first mates have sailed all over the world and come from diverse maritime backgrounds.

"Their primary role throughout the race is to support the team skipper in all aspects of boat management, meaning this bunch are not only great sailors but also teachers, leaders and mentors for the race crew."

The race is known as one of the world's toughest endurance challenges

Miss Longley has previous experience on transatlantic deliveries, conservation expeditions in Mexico and crewing scuba diving vessels in Australia.

She said: "Before this job I did lots of other stuff including some skippering myself, so I feel very much prepared for this new exciting adventure.

"It doesn't really feel like giving up a year of my life for a job, it feels quite the opposite."