68 year old British grandmother Jeanne Socrates has become the oldest woman to sail solo around the world.
She covered 25,000 miles in her 38 ft yacht 'Nereida,' taking a total of 14 months. The retired maths teacher had originally set out from Mexico in March 2007 and came within 60 nautical miles of a cirumnavigation during that attempt, only to be foiled by a steep surf beach which destroyed the original craft. This time however there were no such last minute dramas and Jeanne crossed her own track on May 6th as she approached Cape Town. The journey was not all plain sailing though; coming round Cape Horn she experienced 70 knot winds which knocked the boat over and snapped the boom. The vessel was eventually repaired in Ushuaia and she was able to continue on towards her ultimate goal. The challenge was made in memory of her late husband George, a keen sailor who died in 2003. Jeanne used the trip to raise money for the cancer charity Marie Curie in his honour.