Talts has a background includes figure skating. "I got into sailing thanks to my dad's sailboat that I tried to get on every available moment, and I understood that this is my greatest interest. When I had to stop figure skating because of an injury, I realized I could spend more time on the sea," the passionate sailor told "Vikerhommik".

"I have spent around 15 years on the sea, but I actively began sailing around six years ago."

Qualifying for the Mini Transat is a real challenge because you must pass multiple stages across several seasons. "In Estonia, there have been people who have taken this upon themselves, who one even qualified for, but had to cancel the competition because of a storm," said Talts.

Talts has set herself a huge goal to sail 4,000 miles by the end of the season. Altogether this equals eight competitions, in four of which she has already totaled 2,000 miles. Her boat is small, only six and a half meters long, with a range of 7,450 kilometers or 4,020 nautical miles.

Talts said solo sailing and sailing are two very different things. "When it comes to solo sailing, it does not matter if you are excellent at a specific thing, but what matters is that you can handle everything, even if not expertly," she explained.

At one point, she had the chance to buy a cruising sailboat on which she learned how to carry out bodywork and electrical work. This will comes in handy at the Mini Transat competition.

"There are moments when I cry. I am out on the boat alone after many days and there are so many things to take care of. When the basic needs hit zero, it is easy for the tears to come. It is inspiring to hear the stories of solo sailors who have encountered a difficult situation," said Talts.

"All my life, I have enjoyed learning and I have understood that you learn in a new situation where the difficulties and challenges come in, in your comfort zone you do not learn, and I get bored. It is a big reason why I pursue solo sailing. The other side is the philosophical curiosity, what happens when I am so far away, when I cannot speak to anyone, what primeval thoughts will come into my head then."

When asked how dangerous it is to sail the Atlantic alone, Talts said she feels that it is easier to die in traffic than at sea. "But we have very strong safety measurements on the sea so that when we come into trouble, help is very close."

The Mini Transat competition begins in France, where participants race to the Canary Islands and then onto the Caribbean.

Talts said you cannot sleep for more than 20 minutes at time because that is the time when you should be checking out the horizon, whether there are ships nearby, and whether the vessel still sailing in the right direction.

"People worry that the boat class is a little bit more extreme, it is small, and the distance is long, but that is why there very strict safety rules, so all the necessary criteria are filled. You must trust the boat and that has helped me in various situations." 

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