McArthur scare in Atlantic

ELLEN MacArthur has improved her chances of breaking the solo round-the-world record despite hitting an object in the Atlantic.

MacArthur had to perform a 360-degree turn to free an object from one of the rudders of her multihull B&Q.

There was no damage to the rudder and the delay did not stop her extending her advantage over Francis Joyon's record pace to one day and 13 hours.

The latest scare came after MacArthur narrowly avoided a whale on Saturday.

She is now heading away from the equator in the general direction of the Cape Verde Islands, which are 400 miles west of the coast of Senegal.

The 28-year-old must finish before 0704 GMT on February 9 to break Frenchman Joyon's record.