Laura Dekker: Record-Setter!

All athletes aspire to be the best in their sport, and young athletes are no different. More young athletes now aim to win 5 competitions, set records, or perform amazing feats. And some, like Dutch sailor Laura Dekker, achieve that goal.

As a child, Laura Dekker loved the sea. She was born on a boat in New Zealand, and has hardly stepped off one since. Laura first sailed by herself at age six, displaying a talent for understanding her boat and the confidence to control it. At 13 years old, Laura felt ready for the biggest challenge of all: she wanted to set the record for the youngest person ever to sail around the world alone.

Before she could do that, she had to face many challenges. While her parents were confident that she could do it, the Dutch government tried to stop her, arguing that she was too young to risk her life. Many people also felt that she should be focusing on her studies. After a long battle, she finally got permission. She had to go for classes to learn how to care for herself while alone at sea, and had to use a bigger boat than she was used to. To avoid falling behind in her studies, she had to sign up with a special distance-learning school and promise to do her homework at sea.

Finally, at the age of 15, Laura was ready. On January 20, 2011, she set out from the island of St. Maarten in the Caribbean on her 38-foot (11.5-meter) sailboat, Guppy. Her trip lasted 500 days in total, partly because she had to stop at different ports to study and check her boat. During this time, she visited exotic islands like the Galapagos, Bora Bora, and Vanuatu, and also found time to go surfing, scuba diving, and cliff diving. She even discovered a new hobby: playing the flute! Laura was alone for most of her journey, but she kept a blog that was read by many people around the world.

Laura returned to St. Maarten at the age of 16 years and 123 days, and was greeted by her family, friends, and many fans. She had become the youngest sailor to circle the globe alone. However, Guinness World Records and the World Sailing Speed Record Council did not verify her claim, saying they no longer recognize records for youngest sailors because it could encourage other young people to do dangerous things. Despite this, Laura felt a sense of achievement. She said that spending so much time alone on her trip helped her to focus on the important things in her life. "I became good friends with my boat," Laura said. "I learned a lot about myself."