GAZETTE & HERALD: The mother of former St Mary's, Calne, Schoolgirl Emma-Kate Lacey is closely following her daughter's progress in the Global Challenge.

Miss Lacey is four days into her racing for the Global Challenge and the crews have already been chucked around by rough seas with some competitors being seasick.

Miss Lacey, 25, who is a doctor at Southampton hospital, signed up to the Global Challenge, described as the world's toughest yacht race, in 2000 and is part of the 18-strong crew on the Barclay's Adventurer.

She is also the boat's medical officer.

Mother Jenny Lacey, who teaches at St. Mary's School, said she does not believe her daughter would have been seasick.

She said: "She (Emma-Kate) loves the rough weather."

"They had a real initiation ceremony going out through the Solent.

"We were behind them and they went so fast that it meant we didn't see them go through Cowes."

Mrs Lacey said her daughter was very mature and focused and that the team has a great spirit so is not too worried about the race.

"I am not as anxious and worried as some people are because I have every faith in the boat and she's a very mature, young 25-year-old and she's extremely focused. She's one of the youngest watch leaders as well.

"Barclay's were very good and they sent them to Switzerland to do white water rafting and so forth to gel as a team."

Mrs Lacey, who is going to Wellington to see her daughter for a month, said she has packed cards for her daughter to have during the trip.

"What I sent out for her was a little card saying how much I will miss her and good luck and I gave her some American dollars and I've done that for each port of call," she said.

"The head's given me kind permission to go and see her (Emma-Kate)."

Mrs Lacey said she checks on the Internet to see how the boat is doing when she is able to.

"I am very proud of her."

Miss Lacey, who has sailed since the age of four and competitively since university, set off with the rest of her crew on Sunday and set off from Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth.

After a flying start the crew hit force eight winds in the English Channel with many competitors being seasick with large waves battering the boat.

The yacht was lying in fifth place off the north of Spain.