Whale scare won’t stop me now

7:44am Friday 23rd May 2008

Comments (5)   Have your say »

• Play Video

HAMPSHIRE ocean racer Sam Davies has vowed to "continue fighting" after her yacht was damaged when it hit a whale during the Artemis Transat race.

The 33-year-old from Hamble hit the underwater giant 800 miles from the coast of Boston, Massachucetts.

Sam, pictured, is the second Hampshire sailor to run into trouble with whales - earlier in the race, fellow Hamble sailor Miranda Merron hit one in mid-Atlantic.

Sam, in fifth place, said: "I was on deck working hard changing sails and trimming when I heard a big bang.

"It was quite foggy so I didn't see anything in the water but from the noise it made, straight away, I was sure that it was a whale.

"It was really scary as I have never hit anything before.

"Back on deck, I pulled my daggerboard up to check it and realised that it was damaged and cracked.

"Now I can't put it all the way down, so I have to use only half of it."

To make matters worse the fleet was then hit with high winds gusting up to 40mph.

Sam added: "Everything is fine onboard Roxy now and with just a few more days before the finish line I am not going to stop fighting now."

So far, five solo sailors across the IMOCA 60 and Class 40 fleets have hit whales or sharks during the race.