A 45-year-old housewife and mother from Cornwall recently joined the winning crew of the Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race as preparation for her own global sailing adventure.

Libby Abbott from Illogan, who has signed up for the 07-08 race, sailed with the westernaustralia.com team as they made their way back from Liverpool to the fleet's base at Gosport, stopping at Falmouth along the way.

The experience was part of her training as one of the first students on a Falmouth Marine School accredited course operated by Clipper Ventures Plc. Libby joined the westernaustralia.com team to help prepare for the hard work and excitement in store when she sails with the crew for real in the next race.

Libby said: "I will be joining one of the legs of the yacht race in 2007/08, probably sailing from Victoria in Canada, through the Panama Canal and onto Jamaica. I joined the westernaustralia.com crew as I wanted to get a feel for the boats before I start my trip. I really enjoyed the short journey and I am now looking forward to what is ahead in 2007."

Clipper Ventures operates the prestigious, biannual Round the World Yacht Race, which encourages relatively inexperienced sailors to take their first step to becoming world-class yachtsmen.

The race was created 10-years ago by legendary sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, who was the first person to sail non-stop and single-handed around the world in 1969.

The unique training programme offered by Falmouth Marine School and Clipper Ventures is designed to build crew competence and help develop a wide range of personal skills that are essential to a successful team.

People from all walks of life are invited to enter the race and join the Falmouth-based training programme, which can lead to a full foundation degree in Yacht Science.

Libby added: "The training appealed to me as I have always had an affinity with the sea and I wanted to do something that would be a challenge and a way of testing my limits. I think the course and my leg of the Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race will certainly do that!"