Dee Caffari onboard Aviva crossed the official finish line at 5:55:42pm (BST) on 18 May 2006.
- Dee Caffari onboard Aviva crossed the official finish line at 5:55:42pm (BST) on 18 May 2006
Yachtswoman Dee Caffari, 33, has triumphed over extreme isolation, lethal icebergs, mountainous waves, vicious storms and hurricane force winds to set a new world record as the first woman to sail round the world solo, non-stop against the prevailing winds and currents.
Caffari’s record-breaking 19,100 mile voyage lasted 178 days, 17 hours, 55 minutes and 42 seconds*. She crossed the official finish line in sight of the observer from the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC)** off Lizard Point, UK, and completed a passage which ensures her a place in maritime history.
“When I crossed the line I was overwhelmed with emotion, it was the proudest moment of my life and becoming the first woman to complete this voyage is a great honour. I have been dreaming about this moment since the idea was first born, visualising it when things got tough and thinking about how it would feel, and when I did it a huge wave of relief and happiness washed over me,” said Caffari.
“It was a voyage of absolute extremes, and it pushed my limits further than I had imagined. There were times when I couldn’t see an end to it and I questioned whether I could do it. One of the hardest things was the mental challenge of dealing with it all on my own, but the support from my shore team and the outstanding performance of the yacht helped me bounce back when it got really tough. Now I’m physically and mentally exhausted but I don’t think I’ve ever been happier and I can’t wait to celebrate the achievement surrounded by family and friends!”
Sir Chay Blyth, Caffari’s mentor and the first person to complete the same arduous voyage in 1971, commented: “Dee has demonstrated an astonishing range of skills and attributes to complete this remarkable voyage. Her determination is second to none and she has inspired people all over the world to take on their own challenges.”
Patrick Snowball, executive director of Aviva, the international savings, investment and insurance group, Caffari’s sponsor said: “On behalf of everyone at Aviva, I congratulate Dee on this incredible achievement. In the past six months Dee has inspired thousands of people around the world with her daily endeavours. Aviva is proud to have been part of the team behind this magnificent solo performance.”
Sailing round the world against the prevailing winds and currents has been so hard because the elements were literally against Caffari for much of the voyage. The straight-line course around the world from east to west is approximately 24,500, but Caffari was forced to sail an extra 4,600 miles, illustrating the difficulty of sailing upwind and the need to regularly change course to avoid dangerous storms when she was in the Southern Ocean. Heading from east to west round the world in this way also places immense strain on the yacht.
“Sailing against the wind is an uncompromising and often brutal point of sail, and Dee has met the physical challenge time and time again, but her ability to take on complex electrical and mechanical repairs and maintenance in highly stressful situations has also been vital in her success,” says Aviva Challenge project director Andrew Roberts.
“We have sent 50 Challenge yachts across the Southern Ocean and the conditions Dee encountered were the worst we have ever seen. Yet when she rounded the Cape of Good Hope and returned to the Atlantic Aviva was in better condition than any of the other Challenge yachts that have sailed through this most hostile ocean, despite the pounding. Dee’s seamanship and attention to detail, not just in the Southern Ocean but throughout the voyage, has made this remarkable achievement possible.”
Caffari will now make her way to Ocean Village in Southampton, UK where HRH The Princess Royal, Patron of The Challenge Business International Limited, will welcome her back to dry land at the end of her marathon journey. HRH The Princess Royal was the first person to welcome home Dee’s mentor, Sir Chay Blyth, when he became the first person to complete this voyage back in 1971. Thousands of people are expected to celebrate her homecoming which is scheduled to be 12pm noon (BST) Sunday 21 May 2006.
-ends-
* Dee Caffari’s official start time was 13h 49m 29s, Monday 21 November 2005
** The official finish line lies between Ushant, France and The Lizard, UK. Dee must cross the line to complete the circumnavigation and is expected to cross at the northern end of the line, near The Lizard, although the exact location is dictated by conditions at the time.
Aviva Challenge
Media arrangements for Dee Caffari's homecoming
Estimated date for the Aviva Challenge Homecoming is Sunday 21 May 2006
The Aviva Challenge Homecoming will take place at:
Ocean Village Marina
2 Channel Way
Southampton
Hampshire SO14 3TG
Updates on her time of arrival will be available via website and email updates. Please use the official website www.avivachallenge.com as the main source of information.
Accreditation
The homecoming areas of the Ocean Village marina and pontoons will have restricted access. All media must accredit at least 24 hours in advance to ensure that appropriate passes can be allocated.
For accreditation contact:
Caroline Ayling +44 (0) 207 202 2840/+44 (0) 7801 351950 or
Dan Wedgwood +44 (0) 207 202 2846/+44 (0) 7787 521995
News pool services
The following services will be made available for use by all media:
TV footage/VNR - APP will feed both VNR and live footage taken from the homecoming together with archive footage and relevant interviews. APP will provide a pool feed of an in-depth interview with Dee Caffari for use by all media. Contact: Carrie Tooth, APP +44 (0) 1865 260200 or Caroline Ayling, Karen Earl Sponsorship +44 (0) 207 202 2840/+44 (0) 7801 351950.
Photography – onEdition will provide royalty-free pictures for media use. Contact Dan Towers +44(0)7973 859602 or Matthew Dickens +44(0)7836 299301 or images can be downloaded from the Aviva gallery at: http://www.w-w-i.com/aviva_challenge/.
Radio – An audio package for radio will be produced and syndicated. For details contact Steve Ancsell, Airwaves, +44 (0) 1489 578850/or cell +44 (0)7860 446003 or Caroline Ayling, Karen Earl Sponsorship +44 (0)207 202 2840/+44 (0)7801 351950.
Press boats
We will provide press RIBS for TV and photographers who wish to follow Dee Caffari’s approach to Ocean Village up the Solent. Please contact us if you wish to book a place on the press RIBs (see contact details at the end of the release)
Press conference
There will be a press conference following the official celebrations on the main stage.
This is scheduled to commence 1 hour 20 minutes after Aviva has come alongside. One-to-one interviews will not be available at this time.
Media interviews
The following Aviva Challenge Shore Team members will be available for interview, please contact us in advance if you wish to schedule any interviews with these people:
Sir Chay Blyth CBE, mentor
Andrew Roberts, project director
Alistair Hackett, logistics director
Harry Spedding, personal coach
Mike Broughton, weather router
Press office
A working press office will be provided for all media with access to power and WiFi. If you have any other specific requirements please contact us.
Contacts:
Caroline Ayling +44 (0) 207 202 2840/+44 (0) 7801 351950 or
Dan Wedgwood +44 (0) 207 202 2846/+44 (0) 7787 521995
Notes to editors:
Aviva and The Aviva Challenge
- www.avivachallenge.com includes a voyage tracker, Dee’s daily logs, an image library, profiles of Dee and her shore team, the yacht Aviva and further information about The Aviva Challenge.
- The current world record for a non-stop single-handed circumnavigation of the globe against the prevailing winds and currents is 122 days, 14 hours, 3 minutes and 49 seconds and is held by Frenchman Jean Luc Van Den Heede.
- Aviva is the world’s sixth largest insurance group based on gross worldwide premiums and market capitalisation (at 31 December 2004), and is one of the leading providers of life and pensions to Europe, with substantial positions in other markets around the world.
- Aviva’s principal business activities are long-term savings, fund management and general insurance, with worldwide total sales* of Ł35 billion and assets under management of Ł317 billion at 31 December 2005.
- The Aviva media centre at www.aviva.com/media includes images, company and product information and a news release archive.
Challenge Business
- Challenge Business is the organiser for The Aviva Challenge, co-ordinating the shore team and logistics behind Dee Caffari’s solo, non-stop circumnavigation.
- Challenge Business is a market leader in creating, managing and promoting World Class events - providing the opportunity for ordinary people to do the extraordinary, for the professionals to reach for the extreme and visionary businesses to achieve amazing results.
- Challenge Business uses the participation and passion of adventure sport to create integrated marketing programmes for innovative businesses and has a sponsorship community of many hundreds of blue chip companies worldwide.