Windsurfer's extreme voyage

Tomorrow Frenchwoman Raphaëla Le Gouvello will leave the Fremantle Sailing Club in Australia on the first ever attempt at crossing of the Indian Ocean by windsurfer. The challenge is a year-and-a-half in the making and Raphaëla will be sailing a custom-made board that is something like a cross between a windsurfer and a dinghy.

The 45-year-old vet from Brittany is hoping to sail 3,500 miles Australia to the island of Réunion. She has already notched up an Atlantic and Mediterranean crossing, but this will be her longest ocean record at an estimated 75 days.

The challenge will be unaccompanied and hence Raphaëla's windsurfer has room within to stretch out and (perhaps) sleep, but also contains navigations equipment and essential spares.