YOUNG Hampshire solo sailor Oscar Mead has dramatically taken the lead in his fleet in a gruelling transatlantic yacht race.

The 18-year-old, the youngest competitor ever to compete in the Original Singlehanded Transatlantic Race, shot to the front of class two in the 3,000-mile race – and is now chasing the leading boats.

Lying fifth overall on the water, the Solent University student was last night around 40 miles ahead of his fellow competitors in class two and was closing in on the much faster leading boats in class one.

Speaking from the middle of the Atlantic on route to Newport, Rhode Island, Oscar said the race had so far been stressful but that he was enjoying it.

He said: “The waves have died down a bit and it’s more of a comfortable sail.

“I had a few issues during the day but all sorted now although at one point I managed to eat a whole packet of Oreo biscuits in five minutes as a “stress relief measure”.

“I will drop a little south over the next 24 hours.

“I’m going fast and enjoying the race.”

Setting off from Plymouth on May 25, Oscar was one of 36 skippers to start the race, including his fellow Solent University student Katie Miller and Lymington yachtswoman Hannah White.

The fleet have been enjoying slightly lighter winds after a battering in the first week which saw winds reach around 45 knots.

Katie, 21, the youngest ever female competitor in the race, founded in 1960 by Blondie Haslar, was last night in fifth in class one, just 40 miles behind 26-year-old Hannah in third.

She said: “It's slightly less hectic on board bluQube now that the wind has died down a bit.

“Our last significant surf topped out at 25 knots, and it was pretty terrifying. I was sitting on my bean bag literally clinging on for dear life.”