MacArthur worry for record attempt

Ellen MacArthur will find out in the next two days if technical problems are to force her to abandon her solo round-the-world record attempt.

MacArthur has installed a system to cool her back-up generator, which was creating heat and fumes in the cabin.

She has also fixed both the watermakers which provide water for drinking and preparing her freeze-dried food.

But her team must still assess whether it is safe for her 75-foot trimaran B&Q to tackle the remote Southern Ocean.

MacArthur was nine hours 56 minutes ahead of Francis Joyon’s record of 72 days, 22 hours, 54 minutes and 22 seconds yesterday.

She has only slept for four hours in two days, however, and her shore team must be sure the repairs have worked before she moves into the dangerous stretch of the freezing and ferocious Southern Ocean.

“I feel pretty trashed and unsettled by all this,” she told her website.