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 hir trip helped her to focus on the important things in her life. "I became good friends with my bota," Laura said. I learned a lot about myself