Miranda Merron completes the The Artemis Transat

Hamble-based Miranda Merron crossed the finish line of the Artemis Transat single-handed yacht race from Plymouth to Marblehead, USA. She completed her race on the 40-foot yacht ‘40 Degrees’ in 18 days, 19 hours, 19 minutes and 34 seconds.

Just 8 months ago, Miranda was struck down by a brain haemorrhage, which momentarily halted her active life of yacht racing, ski touring and mountain climbing. At no point did Miranda give up her dream of continuing her career in professional yacht racing. Whilst friends and family worried about her physical strength to cope with the monumental task of racing across the Atlantic, Miranda remained determined and undaunted. Not only before the race, but throughout.

When asked if last year’s difficult events slowed her down at all, she said, “I don't know if I am more tired than normal – it is hard to tell at the end of this kind of race. I am totally exhausted! When I was in Derriford Hospital a few months ago, I didn't know whether that was the end of my yacht racing career. Thanks to the doctors there and at Southampton General, a lot of support from family and friends, and some determination, I am so pleased to have completed this mythical race. I feel very lucky.”

Supported by numerous Hampshire companies and by St James’s Place in particular, Miranda has emailed enthralling reports each day promoting a different company with ‘their own degree of longitude’ and describing conditions normally so hard for landlubbers to imagine. Her final report went as follows, “Yesterday was a glorious day in the Gulf of Maine, sailing upwind in 14-20 knots and sunshine. It was even warm. As often happens at the end of races, the wind shifted making the finish line at 30 miles DEAD UPWIND again, so several more energy-consuming tacks required. Sleep was totally out of the question on approach to land, and there were several fishing boats around as well. It is a beautiful dawn and I was glad for a bit of light to be able to spot all the lobster pots.

When asked what the best moment of the race was: “Right now I think, the finish! The whole race has been really diverse and interesting in terms of weather, and the competition amazing - not many fleets where there are several boats separated by so little for so long. Unfortunately I fell out of that group in the end, but it was fun and intense while it lasted. I've seen lots of wildlife on this race too, which has been a real bonus.”

And the worst: “Spending a day parked in no wind at all, going backwards in the gulf stream, when there should have been some wind, while the competition hardly stopped at all further south. With hindsight if I could do things differently, I would not pick that particular wind hole again!”

This race was Miranda’s second solo transatlantic race, the first being the Route Du Rhum on Open 60 ‘UUDS’ in 2002. When asked how she coped with this race differently she said, “I was much more stable, not many big emotional ups and downs. I have thoroughly enjoyed most of this race, though obviously not losing 3 places in one go – that would annoy anyone, I think. Also I hope I've learnt a few things in the intervening years! Long-distance solo racing is an endurance sport, and endurance is something that people seem to get better at with age (there are exceptions, of course).”

“Thanks to the following degrees (the last hard slog to the finish!: 68W Esso – thanks for your local support; 69W Owen Clarke Design - designers of 40 Degrees – she is still in one piece; 70W MT Waters – Tony, you cannot imagine how good this degree is.”

“Next I’d like to do a round the world race on an Open 60, so if all my sponsors fancy sponsoring me to the tune of £30,000 each that would be fantastic! One final message is, I may be the lucky one who got to race across the Atlantic alone, but there is a team behind ‘40 Degrees’. I would like to publicly thank Alex Sizer for not only the boat preparation, but also for being the rock on the end of the phone at all times. I think I unkindly call when things are bad or there is a problem, rarely just to say hi. A thankless task for Alex.”

Friday 29th May 2008
Race Length: 18 days, 19 hours, 19 minutes and 34 seconds
Time of Race Finish: 08:19:34 GMT (04:19:34 locally)
Final Ranking : 7th
Next Plans: A round the world race on an Open 60

Sponsors Of The Day: St James’s Place; 68W Esso, 69W Owen Clarke Design
Sponsor of the finish: 70W MT Waters