February 8, 2005. Copyright 2005, Graphic News. All rights reserved

Remarkable Ellen reaches her goal
By Joanna Griffin

LONDON, February 8, Graphic News:  As Ellen MacArthur battled exhaustion and running repairs to her boat to stay on course in her bid to become the fastest sailor ever to circumnavigate the world, landlubbers everywhere will have cheered on the young British woman whose remarkable drive and fearlessness have changed the face of sailing.

MacArthur, 28, conquered rough winds and extreme sleep deprivation after embarking on her latest venture in her trimaran B&Q in late November. Her lead over Francis Joyon's record, which stood at five days when she rounded Cape Horn, slipped away due to almost windless conditions off Brazil, but MacArthur, though modest, is nothing if not determined, and she urged her boat forward to retake the lead in the wintry north Atlantic.

Ellen MacArthur, who was born in Derbyshire on July 8, 1976, grew up dreaming of the sea after an aunt took her out on a dinghy. At 18 she sailed around Britain in her 21ft yacht Iduna, and became the youngest person to pass the Yachtmaster Offshore Qualification. A long search for backing finally secured sponsorship from the retail group Kingfisher.

From then on the sailing world could not ignore MacArthur: she won the Open 50 class in the Route du Rhum in 1998, and was awarded an MBE after coming second in the Vendee Globe solo around the world race in 2001, becoming the youngest person and fastest woman to sail around the world. In 2002 she won the Route du Rhum again.

MacArthur's achievement will have put to rest her disappointment over the outcome of her 2003 bid on the Jules Verne round-the-world record, when Kingfisher 2's mast broke. And, after a suitable period of rest and recuperation, we will no doubt see a lot more of her out alone on the deck of her boat where she feels the "luckiest person alive".
/ENDS