Richards is the youngest person to complete the Around Alone race

Richards, who finished fourth, was also the first British woman to complete the marathon round-the-world event.

The Scottish yachtswoman took 132 days to sail round the globe after setting off from New York on 15 September 2002.

When she sailed into Newport, Rhode Island, in May 2003 it was estimated she had sailed 33,000 miles.

Originally from Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, Richards now lives in Cowes on the Isle of Wight.

She began her career in dinghies and has a wealth of experience both sailing on her own and as part of a crew.

A professional yachtswoman since the mid-1990s, she sailed on board Amer Sports Too in the 2001-2002 Volvo Ocean Race and has also competed in such classic races as the Fastnet.

But it was her Around Alone experience that brought her to national and international attention.

Conditions were frequently treacherous and at one point Richards had to sail through the tail-end of a hurricane.

She also had to climb up the 80 foot mast on her boat, Pindar, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as hand-stitch her giant mainsail with 1,500 stitches after it ripped in half.