News & Interest

Hot Socks

01/11/09
Meet Katie Miller. University student, adventurer and English ocean racer headed our way. On May 25th Katie will be leaving Plymouth England in the 2009 OSTAR. (Original Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race). The race crosses about 3000 miles of the North Atlantic and more because it will be upwind. The finish line is in Newport. Katie is currently both the youngest and the only female entrant. And she will be doing this in a 30′ boat.

The OSTAR is hosted by The Royal Western Yacht Club of Plymouth and the Newport Yacht Club. The 2009 race is limited to boats between 30′-50′ but open to monohulls and multihulls. It’s been raced in Open 60′s in the past. Katie’s entry (Hot Socks) is a Bénéteau Figaro ll. The Figaro is a 10.10m ‘one design’ class for offshore yacht racing and a fast little boat. Katie checks in:

“At the moment preparation for the race entails a lot of gym time, sailing time and finishing my university studies. The yacht is currently in the shed having a refit for the race, and is due back in the water at the end of January for some extensive training. That is alongside some shore based training including offshore sea survival, advanced first aid, weather, diesel engine maintenance etc, everything you could think possible for such a major trip.”

The OSTAR was first run in 1960 when it was won by Francis Chichester in Gipsy Moth III. The racers typically finish in an 18 – 40 day window. Beyond a successful completion of the OSTAR Katie’s ultimate goal is the 2016 Vendee Globe.

KatieMillerracing.com
OSTAR2009.com
Newportyachtclub.org

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