MORE than 6,000 miles away from home, an intrepid York geography teacher is leading the field in a gruelling round-the-world yacht race.

Goldie Raley, of Escrick, set off on the ten-month voyage on board the 72ft racing yacht BP Explorer in October.

Now, just north of St Helena Island in the Atlantic Ocean, Goldie, and her 17 fellow crew members, have taken the lead in the 2005 Global Challenge.

With the most treacherous part of the race, from Sydney to Cape Town, behind her, 35-year-old Goldie is now crossing the Atlantic Ocean to Boston.

Going into the fifth leg of the race, the BP Explorer crew is ahead of the 11 other competitors.

Speaking from the yacht, Goldie said: "Initially this race was all about finishing, but now we are all focused on winning. The war of attrition against mountainous seas might be over for the time being, and it's a real joy to only have to put on three layers instead of the twenty I was wearing in the Southern Ocean. Without the distraction of simply trying to survive in the face of the weather, there is renewed vigour amongst the crew when it comes to racing. We know we've done a great job to get into first position and that makes us all determined not to relinquish the lead."

Goldie teaches geography at Pocklington School. She raised more than £25,000 to take part in the race.

Andrew Dawes, deputy head teacher at the school, said: "We are absolutely delighted at how well she's been doing. Goldie sends us email updates, and we have all been following the race very closely."

The BP Explorer crew is due to arrive in Boston on June 6. They will then head off across the Atlantic again for La Rochelle in France before finishing the race back in Portsmouth on July 17.

Updated: 10:12 Monday, May 16, 2005