Miranda Merron, the English solo sailor who is based in France, finished the 40th anniversary edition of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe at 21:10.32hrs UTC this evening to take a hard-earned 13th place in Class40.

The 49-year-old who is originally from Hamble in Hampshire is the first female skipper to finish the race of 123 starters.

Completing her third Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, her second in Class40, Merron was welcomed to the dock in Pointe-à-Pitre on Campagne de France with a long cold beer, her personal request which complemented the traditional rum punch. 

Her elapsed time is 21 days, eight hours and 10 minutes, as she finished some five hours after American Michael Hennessy who took 12th on Dragon and just one hour and seven minutes ahead of Saint Malo sailor Arthur Hubert in 14th.

Merron, who finished sixth in Class40 in 2014, said: "It was quite a hard race, so much harder than the last time. The first week was hell weatherwise. I was worried about the boat and so backed off a lot. And after that we did not seem to get very good tradewinds. The lead group did, they had nice, fast 20-25-knot stuff and we did not." 

Making up one place during the approach to Guadeloupe and rounding Basse Terre was a bonus she had to dig deep for: "It was very hard work and then finishing today was very hard work. I managed to overtake Arthur Hubert for 13th so I was pleased with that. 

"I am delighted,” she continued. “In terms of my position, I am where I deserve to be. I would like to have been closer to the lead group in terms of time but they had consistently faster sailing conditions. 

“I am absolutely delighted to be the first woman here. I feel sorry for friends Sam Davies and Isabelle Joschke who had to abandon the race, but I am really pleased to be the first woman."

routedurhum.com