British teen sails into record books

PORTSMOUTH, England, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A British teenage boy cruised into the record books Thursday as the youngest person to sail alone around the world with assistance, officials said.

Mike Perham, 17, crossed the finish line between Lizard Point, England, and Ushant, France, in 50-foot yacht Totallymoney.com after a nine-month voyage, The Times of London reported.

Shortly before crossing the line Perham told the Times, "It's beginning to sink in what I've done and I'm feeling very proud of myself and the people who have helped me make this happen."

His trek was lonely at times, "but that's part of the challenge," he said.

He was expected to return to Gunwharf Quays at Portsmouth, England, on Saturday after spending 158 days at sea, The Times reported.

Perham, who celebrated his 17th birthday in the South Indian Ocean in March, originally wanted to complete the challenge non-stop, but several technical difficulties meant several stops, redefining his world record as being the youngest solo circumnavigation with assistance, the newspaper reported.

Perham's record on Thursday wasn't his first. In January 2007 he was the youngest person to sail solo across the Atlantic at the age of 14.

Perham's feat is "another incredible achievement, and it marks Mike as the consummate record-breaker someone who's continually prepared to set themselves new and more challenging goals," Guinness World Records editor-in-chief Craig Glenday said.