Solo Hamble yachtswoman Emma Richards was today preparing to hit a major storm on the latest leg of the competition Around Alone.

The sailor is currently positioned off the northwest tip of Spain as a massive storm - which is actually the tail end of Hurricane Kyle - approaches from the south Atlantic.

Six of the 12 skippers in the round-the-world race have decided to sit out the storm by staying in harbour at La Coruna, Spain.

But 27-year-old Richards is hoping to out run the storm by carrying on down the coast of Portugal.

Communicating by e-mail from her 60ft yacht Pindar, Miss Richards said: "I feel as if I am going to battle.

"I have been through a few storms before but this one, which there has been so much talk about it, sounds enormous and very much out of the ordinary."