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Isle Of Wight Sailor Buoyant After Dinghy World Record Attempt

A sailor from the Isle of Wight claims to have set a new world record.

Sailing in a one-man dinghy, Harry White, 21, covered 107.66km (66.9 miles) in just 12 hours.

Although his attempt is yet to be rubber stamped by Guinness World Records, it is expected to be a new world record.

Harry, from Wootton, says the previous record stood at 65.64km (40.8 miles).

Accompanied by a support boat, Harry set off from the Royal Victoria Yacht Club in Fishbourne earlier this month (September 7). 

He said: 

"We launched from the Island and then sailed off to the mainland shore and back a few times, slowly making our way towards Bembridge. Once we were there we got the tide and came back the other way.

"So we visited the mainland shores and areas around Portsmouth quite a lot that day."

Before the world record attempt, Harry had crowdfunded for a new boom and new sail. He managed to smash his fundraising target of £750, raising £925.

He says any spare money will go towards the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, to help support sailors of all ages young and experienced. 

If that wasn't challenging enough, Harry also had to get himself physically and mentally ready for the challenge. He told Isle of Wight Radio:

"I spent a lot of time in the gym trying to build up my endurance and also just getting in the right mindset, trying to pick the correct day and getting all the weather right.

"Just making sure all the stars aligned really. It was definitely challenging I must say."

Harry, a triplet, has already hit the headlines this year. He graduated with a first-class degree in the same subject, and at the same university, as his brothers.

Guinness World Records is expected to validate his sailing attempt in the coming weeks.

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