MacArthur sails into record books

Ellen MacArthur tonight became the fastest person to single-handedly sail around the world non-stop.

The exhausted sailor crossed the finish line off Ushant, France, in her 75ft trimaran B&Q at 10.25pm doing 13 knots to smash the record held by Frenchman Francis Joyon by one day and nearly nine hours.

The Isle of Wight-based yachtswoman completed the 27,000 mile voyage in 71 days and under 13 hours.

The exact time of her finish will now be verified by the World Sailing Speed Records Council, whose officials were waiting at the finish line.

Britain's Prince of Wales congratulated MacArthur on her record and sent this message: ``I did just want to send you my most heartfelt congratulations on your marvellous feat.

“We have all watched your progress with the greatest possible excitement over the last seventy one/two days (NB please change as necessary) and our sense of relief at having you home, and pride in your record-breaking achievement, are boundless.

“The whole of the United Kingdom is, I know, delighted by your success – and particularly all those at The Prince’s Trust, for whom you are such a wonderful ambassador.”

Her achievement makes her the fastest person to sail around the world solo non-stop.

The 28-year-old from Cowes on the Isle of Wight set out on November 28 last year in her 75ft trimaran B&Q.

When Frenchman Francis Joyon set his time in February last year of 72 days, 22 hours, 54 minutes and 22 seconds, many in the sailing world thought it would stand for years as he took a massive 20 days off the old record.

As soon as she passed the line, her shore team was set to go on board to take the helm as she was close to physical exhaustion after two and a half months at sea battling gales while sailing to the limit, all with only four hours of sleep in 24 hours.

One of the crew aboard at the end was her doctor, Kevin McNeel.

He said earlier tonight: “I suspect that Ellen is physically spent. She looks after the boat better than she looks after herself. I will be taking some blood and urine samples and trying to rehydrate her but mentally she is one of the strongest people I know and this is the key to her success, she is very driven.”

The crew will then sail B&Q to Falmouth in Cornwall where 5ft 3ins MacArthur, originally from Derbyshire, is expected to receive a hero’s welcome from thousands tomorrow afternoon.

The voyage has been incident-packed for the sailor who has suffered burns to her arm, been battered and bruised when she had to climb the 90ft mast and narrowly avoided colliding with a whale during the attempt.

At one point it looked like the challenge was over when one of the wheels, or “cars” that allows the 165kg main sail to be hoisted, came away from its track meaning she could not raise it fully. After climbing the rig, MacArthur managed to fix it.

Despite gales and icebergs in the southern ocean, light winds in the Atlantic and a host of technical problems, including a generator that was consuming too much vital fuel and a failed watermaker, she managed to stay ahead of the time set by Joyon for the vast majority of the voyage.

On January 12, when she rounded the treacherous Cape Horn she was five days ahead of Joyon.

In the final days, the record was in the balance as MacArthur battled firstly light winds and then a gale as she sped towards the Bay of Biscay – the last major hurdle before the finish line.

In addition to the expected overall record, she has also collected another five records on the voyage beating Joyon’s time to the Equator, the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Leeuwin in Australia, Cape Horn and back to the Equator.

Armchair sailors have had a ringside seat throughout as B&Q was installed with 14 web cameras that showed the action and the conditions MacArthur had to face.

She has also been buoyed by around 2,000 emails of support sent to her boat from all over the world during the record attempt.

Her parents Ken and Avril will be in Falmouth to greet her when she finally sets foot on land.