Student Sarah Aynesworth was on cloud nine today after sailing into the record books.

The 22-year-old of Hartlington, near Skipton, was part of a crew which smashed the world record for the fastest powered circumnavigation of the world - by nine days.

She could hardly contain her excitment when the Telegraph & Argus managed to get an exclusive interview with her just two hours after she cruised into Gibralter yesterday.

She and the crew of Cable & Wireless Adventurer were being feted by VIPs celebrating the world-record breaking 24,485-mile mile voyage, which was completed in 74 days, 20 hours and 58 minutes.

The previous record, set in 1960 by the American nuclear submarine USS Triton, was 83 days nine hours and 54 minutes.

She said people were so much on a high that when a champagne bottle was cracked one crew member fell into the sea.

""It has been an amazing reception. It's good to be back to see my family and friends, but it has not really sunk in yet.''

On the quayside to meet her were her father David, mother Linda and 24-year-old brother Robert.

Sarah, a former pupil of Skipton Girls High School, said: ""It feels as if I should be getting back on board again after about five hours to continue the journey.

""I just can't believe I have done it. This time last year I wouldn't have dreamt that I would have done something like this. It is unbelievable.''

It had been tough at times and one of the worst elements of the trip had been the exhaustion.

""It was difficult to sleep on board and when we got into port I was so excited it was hard to get any rest. So on the whole it has been tiring.''

Of all the tremendous places she had visited, uppermost in her memory was the Maldives in the Indian ocean.

""It is only a very small place but it seemed everybody came out to greet us. It was tremendous.

""The people actually built a jetty for us and we went snorkelling and then had a candlelit dinner on the beach. They were brilliant people,'' said Sarah who is now planning to spend a few days in Spain before returning to her Yorkshire Dales home.

But by July 16 she will have to be back in Lisbon, Portugal, to board the boat to take part in British Expo Day.

Later in the summer she will help edit a TV documentary about the journey before returning to the University of the West of England in Bristol.

Sarah beat off more than 300 applicants to win a place on the crew of the 115ft Cable & Wireless monohull.

During their voyage, the crew had to contend with engine failure, high seas, soaring temperatures and illness which saw one crew member having to be replaced in Hong Kong after contracting a virus.

The vessel visited Monte Carlo, Port Said, the Maldives, Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo before setting out across the Pacific.

She went via Honolulu and San Diego before visiting Jamaica, Miami and New York and then set out on the last leg across the Atlantic.

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