Over 20 sailors from around the globe have set sail on the 2008 Artemis Transat yacht race.

The sailors left Plymouth’s Sutton Harbour on Sunday morning as they embarked on the 2,800-mile journey across the Atlantic Ocean to Rowes Wharf, Boston.

The daunting course even takes the competitors through the heart of 'Perfect Storm' territory and close to where the Titanic was lost.

Alex Bennett, from Torquay, is at the helm of the 40ft (12m) yacht Fujifilm, while Dorset’s Steve White is sailing the 60ft (18m) Spirit of Weymouth.

Established in 1960, the single-handed transatlantic race is the oldest solo ocean race in history.

Its rich history of 12 past editions has seen the birth of modern sailing icons - from Eric Tabarly to Dame Ellen MacArthur, from Francis Chichester to Francis Joyon - and shaped the evolution of contemporary ocean racing in the fields of naval design, weather analysis and communications.

The Artemis Transat, which takes place every four years, is expected to take around three weeks.

This year's race brings together two of the most exciting monohull classes of offshore racing, the world-level IMOCA Open 60s and the rapidly growing Class40 - a mix of pre-eminent ocean racing professionals and accomplished amateurs.