Miranda Merron plans to use her time well while she awaits a decision over future plans from her French sponsors.

The Hamble yachtswoman has set her sights on winning the inaugural Route du Nouveau Monde in January.

Merron, who came eighth in her first solo race, the Route du Rhum, will hear in February how much Un Univers de Service will agree to commit to her campaign, which, she hopes, will culminate in the next Vendee Globe.

If she gets full funding, Merron will be able to commission a new state-of-the-art Open 60 boat to be built as soon as possible. If not, she will opt for an existing Open 60, one which is a proven competitor.

"I am reasonably optimistic about getting a new boat but it comes down to how the company's business is going," she said.

"They seem to be pleased with the way we have run this campaign but we are all very realistic."

For the 4,000-nautical mile Route du Nouveau Monde from Santa Dominga in the Dominican Republic to La Rochell in France, Merron will once again compete in the ten-year-old UUDS - but this time with a crew of four.

"As much as I would like to win, we are up against Roland Jourdain in Sill, which is one of the fastest Open 60s around," she said. "But it will be good experience. We are having to bring the boat back anyway so it will be more fun to race and also it's a new event and we want to support it."

Merron will be the only British sailor taking part in the race - Mike Golding has dropped out due to damage sustained by Ecover during the Route du Rhum and Ellen MacArthur is preparing for her bid on the Jules Verne Trophy.

"I learned a lot during the Rhum - it was my first solo race and, although I felt I could have done better, I was pleased with my performance," said the 33-year-old, who was a member of Tracy Edwards' crew on Royal & Sun Alliance and navigator on Amer Sports Too for two legs in the last Volvo Ocean Race.

"But I need a more scientific approach to my sailing - to eating and sleep management in particular because I didn't eat properly and always felt tired. I was having to get my shore crew to ring me every 20 minutes because, in the end, I wasn't hearing my alarm.

"The boat was in good shape when we finished - even the sails were intact, which was surprising because we took a real slamming in the first few days of the race. She held up really well and I was pleased."