MacArthur bid on course

British sailor Ellen MacArthur had edged back to one day seven hours ahead of Francis Joyon's round-the-world record pace yesterday but was facing a threatening passage through the Doldrums from today.

MacArthur's advantage is largely down to the Frenchman having a terrible couple of days at this stage when he set the record in 2004 but she may see her lead disappear in the next few days.

She will need a strong finish as the Frenchman averaged more than 400 miles a day on the last four days of his voyage.

MacArthur took a record 44 days 23hr 36min to complete the solo trek to Cape Horn when she was four days ahead of Joyon, but the lead vanished as she battled light winds in the south Atlantic.

She needs to cross the finish line at Ushant, off the French coast, no later than 0704 GMT on February 9 to break the record of 72 days 22 hours 54 minutes and 22 seconds Joyon set last February.