American 17 year-old Zac Sunderland made headlines last week, when on July 16th, he became the youngest person in history to sail solo around the world.
But it appears that his title will be short lived. Today, British teenager Mike Perham set sail from Panama on the last leg of his own round-the-world odyssey. Perham is just three months younger than Sunderland, but expects to complete the remaining 5,000 miles to the UK within a month.
The two took opposite routes around the globe, but were able to meet up when their paths crossed in Cape Town. When asked if there was a rivalry between them, Perham explained, “No. It’s two teenagers going out there, living their dream and having the adventure of a lifetime. Once again, well done Zac!”
Each of the teenagers encountered many difficulties at sea, including emergency open-water repairs and learning to cope with treacherous sleeping schedules. However, the story won’t end when Perham reaches the UK in mid-August. A 16-year-old Australian girl is due to set off on the same mission in September.
You can read more on each of their blogs: Zac Sunderland & Mike Perham
[via The Telegraph]