Another young Hampshire yachtswoman is climbing the ranks of solo international competition.

Following in Ellen MacArthur and Emma Richards' footsteps is Hamble's twenty-eight-year-old Sam Davies.

Sam, a likable professional sailor who crewed on the 'fastest boat in the world' last year, is embarking upon the French run 2003 Class Figaro Circuit.

A highly-revered solo monohull racing circuit, it boasts entries from the man who beat MacArthur to the finish in the recent Vendee Globe race, the formidable Frenchman Michel Desjoyeaux.

Sam, who grew up sailing on Chichester harbour, is the first British female entry in the Figaro Circuit for 25 years after Clare Francis back in 1975 and 1976.

She has a lot of ocean experience under her belt, starting from a tender age.

"I have sailed ever since I was a baby," she explained.

"When I was born my parents replaced their powerboat with a 28-foot sailing boat as it was safer.

"Our family spent every weekend and holiday that I can remember cruising the Solent, West Country, North Brittany and Biscay."

Six rounds will make up the gruelling 2,000 mile Figaro series starting tomorrow with leg one, the 'Tour de Bretagne A La Voile' from St. Malo to Lorient, which will see 50 boats on the startline.

This is not, however, Sam's first taste of solo sailing.

In 2001 she competed in the Mini-Transat, a transatlantic dash in single-handed twenty foot long monohulls in which both Mark Turner and MacArthur have exercised their yachting passion, where she finished 11th out of 65.

But Sam, pictured right, sees this as her biggest solo sailing challenge to date.

"It's the toughest of the single-handed races in terms of the competition you're up against," she said.

"The Vende and the Around Alone are endurance events whereas the Figaro is a pure sprint.

"The last three winners of the Vende Globe have all cut their teeth in this event.

"The combination of the 50-boat fleet and the 500-mile duration of each leg means you're going to be close racing at least a dozen boats all the time.

"The legs aren't long enough to sleep, you're continually up, pushing the boat and yourself until you reach the finish line.

"Even when you're fatigued your tactics and navigation need to be spot on as the boats are so closely matched and one small mistake can ruin a leg."

The boats are identical 32-foot long Beneteau Figaro 2's, hence the race title. A new fleet design this year, Sam's boat was prepared at the GBR Challenge yard in Cowes.

The 500-mile legs, relatively short in solo sailing terms will keep single-handed skills sharp.

Tomorrow's start will be raced as a double-hander with Emma Westmacott, herself an experienced yachtswoman who sailed with Hamble's Lisa McDonald on the Volvo Round The World race entry Amer Sports Two last year.

Southampton-based Insurance company Skandia last week came onboard as her sponsor.

Sam continued: "My focus for the Figaro 2003 is to learn as much as I can and I will be going for the 'Rookie' title.

"All the new sailors on the circuit want to win this so you often end up with a race within the race between the newcomers for that award."

The competition will be tough but Sam is made of strong stuff. She was a key crewmember onboard Tracy Edwards' Maiden 2 last year when the 110-foot maxi catamaran smashed four world records in four months, including the 24-hour distance and the Round Britain and Ireland records.

The crescendo of the short-handed series will be the four-leg La Solitaire du Figaro which starts from Les Sables d'Olonne on July 30.

The fleet will skirt the French, Spanish coasts and then on to Ireland and back.

2003 Figaro Campaign Calendar

Tour de Bretagne La Voile (double-handed): Starts in St Malo, tomorrow; finishes in Lorient on May 24.

La Gnrali Mditerrane (solo): Starts in Marseille on June 13; finishes in Porquerolles on June 28.

La Solitaire du Figaro (solo): Starts in Les Sables d'Olonne on July 30; finishes in St Naziare on August 23.

La route du Ponant (solo): Starts on September 3; finishes September 13. Course to be confirmed

Le Trophe Banque Prive Europenne (double-handed): Starts in St Nazaire on September 21; finishes in Dakar on October 10.