Dumfriesshire sailor bids for spot in solo transatlantic yacht race

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Dumfriesshire’s fearless female sailor, Rebecca Coles, has kick-started an ambitious campaign to compete for a spot in next year’s prestigious Mini Transat Race – a solo transatlantic yacht endeavour.The 23-year-old former St Joseph’s College pupil, who grew up just outside Lochmaben, races with professional sailing teams in an “unconventional and pretty male dominated job”.A rising star in the sailing world, she is already inspiring young women in sailing – 3.5k follow her social media platforms – and she is known for her support of ocean conservation.She is proud of her roots in the region and said she hopes her endeavours will “inspire women and young people from Dumfries and Galloway which is a region I’m really proud to represent.”She studied at Southampton University as a silver sports scholar for her sailing, and her extensive experience working as a professional sailor – and on some of the best racing shore teams – further underscores her capabilities and dedication to the sport.Rebecca said: “It’s an unconventional and pretty male dominated job, but I love it and I’m working really hard to continue to be successful.“I’m based in Southampton but I am very proud of being from Dumfries and Galloway – and being in Scottish in general – and I’ve felt very supported by people from home as I’ve pursued this career.”Despite her youth, she is an experienced offshore sailor with a transatlantic crossing and tens of thousands of nautical miles under her belt.Now she’ll be drawing on her courage, dedication and perseverance as she wants to put her skills to the test by racing in the Mini Transat 2025.It is a gruelling 4,000-nautical-mile solo race from Les Sables-d’Olonne to Guadeloupe via the Canaries in September, that