Teen Sailor Says She's Proud of Her Achievement

Marina del Rey - A 16-year-old girl whose dream of becoming the youngest person to sail around the world was dashed by a rogue wave that crippled her boat in the Indian Ocean conceded today that she was terrified at times during her voyage, but she told reporters in Marina del Rey that she was well-prepared for the challenge.

"There's definitely been times when I was terrified," Abby Sunderland said. "I knew when I headed out for this trip that I was gonna be testing myself and I was gonna have to push myself to my limits. And I think knowing that that's gonna happen and being ready for it when it does happen, it really helps.

"You know, there were times I was scared, definitely, but you just, you get scared and then you have to get over it because being scared it doesn't do anything good," she said. "It just makes you hestiate and makes more problems start coming."

Sunderland, a resident of Thousand Oaks, set said from Marina del Rey on Jan. 23 aboard her 40-foot sailboat Wild Eyes. She had originally planned to be at seat for five or six months.

Having turned 16 years of age on Oct. 19, it was her last chance to beat the record held by 17-year-old Mike Perham.

Perham, of Britain, nabbed the record last August from Abby's big brother, Zac. Abby's trip would have included no port calls, unlike her brother's or Perham's voyages.

Zac Sunderland made history last July when he returned to Marina del Rey from a 13-month solo-circumnavigation aboard a 36-foot sailboat. He briefly held the distinction of being the youngest person and still is the youngest American to have sailed around the world.

The nonstop itinerary would have given Abby an added distinction as the youngest person to sail around the world "unassisted," besting Australian Jesse Martin, who did it at 18 in 1999.

Abby Sunderland's hopes were dashed earlier this month when a "rogue wave" snapped the mast of her boat. She spent three days adrift before being rescued by a fishing-boat crew.

Since news of her mishap at sea broke, Sunderland's parents have come under some criticism for allowing the teen to embark on such a voyage. Her parents did not attend today's news conference, noting that Abby's mother, Maryanne, was about to give birth to the couple's eighth child.

But a statement by the parents was read to reporters in attendance.

"We've also been exposed to intense personal criticism by people who don't know us," according to the statement. "Most have not even met us. To hear the intensity of the personal hatred spewed by some in the media and on blogs was shocking to us. It crossed the line of human decency. Abby should not be subjected to these hurtful attacks against members of her family, especially as what was being said was based at best on twisting facts out of context and at worst on total fabricated lies."