Mansfield man praises sailing sister as she heads round the world in Clipper Boat Race

Joanne Worker, who grew up in Ladybrook, has been a keen sailer for years after moving to Cardiff and taking up the sport at Penarth Portway - where she owned a restaurant.

Joanne went on an all-girl training crew around the Caribbean to learn the ropes of a sailing yacht and has been itching to see the whole world for a very long time.

And now she is doing just that, taking part in the annual Clipper Boat Race which will see her cross six continents and four oceans over a 48-week period.

Joanne set off from London earlier this month for the first leg, which will see her tackle the Atlantic Ocean before arriving in Uruguay, where she will then sail off to South Africa and on to Australia.

The amateur crews will then sail coast-to-coast from the ‘land down under’, before visiting south-east Asia, where they will then tackle the Pacific Ocean on their route to North America.

Joanne’s brother Stewart Worker has praised his sailing sister, and says he will be following her “all the way”.

He said: “She was so excited when she set off in London, but she was also very nervous.

“If you look at some of the routes they’ve taken the past, there’s some really tough and choppy seas to cross.

“So it’s very daunting and I certainly wouldn’t do it, but she’s waned to do something like this for years and I’m so proud and happy for her.”