B&Q and ELLEN MAC ARTHUR

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British yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur unveiled her new boat in Australia - 8 Jan 2004.

Ellen Macarthur

Ellen's latest venture is with B&Q and the now renamed Castorama.  You can follow Ellen's adventures every day by visiting www.yachting-world.com  or use the links below......

Castorama

Vendee Globe: A star is born  Route du Rhum success story   Ellen: Sports personality   MacArthur's French connection

The 75ft trimaran will attempt to break solo speed sailing records, including the 24-hour and trans-Atlantic records.  MacArthur said the boat, named B&Q Castorama, was designed specifically for solo racing.

She said: "There aren't many boats that exist like her. She's designed to go across oceans very quickly with one person on board."

MacArthur became a star in the yachting world after finishing second in the Vendee Globe solo non-stop round-the-world race in 2001.  Her new boat, the three-hulled B&Q, has 100ft-high mast and was designed by France-based Nigel Irens and built in Somersby, which is 50 miles north of Sydney.

MacArthur stayed in Sydney for several months to test out the boat while it was being finished.  She said: "We basically said, 'Forget the rule book, we want to build the fastest boat, how are we going to do it?'"  The 27-year-old from Derbyshire said sailing the new boat was "powerful and not as violent as sailing smaller boats".

B&Q

She was launching the London Boat Show via a video link from Sydney on Thursday.  MacArthur's last record attempt, to set the fastest non-stop circumnavigation of the globe last February failed when the mast on Kingfisher 2 broke in the Southern Ocean. 

After crossing the Equator in April 2004, Ellen MacArthur made the decision to sail direct to New York for her first solo record attempt - the west-east transatlantic record currently held by Laurent Bourgnon of just over 7 days. Barring any major problems and the subject to the right weather window, this record attempt is planned for May 2004.

Her 14000 mile solo delivery trip on board the new 75-foot B&Q trimaran which started from New Zealand, has been a great proving ground for the performance of the trimaran.  So far the Nigel-Irens designed trimaran is exceeding expectation both in its performance and handling.  Ellen said: "Though physically demanding, she is a joy to sail, and I really am very pleased with how she performs, under pilot, and in various conditions."  "In big waves she is unbelievable - skimming over them, haring down them."  "I've climbed the mast, (Ellen's trademark) and had a lack of wind on this trip - let's hope that's one thing ticked off the list.

From June 2004 onwards MacArthur will be attempting the solo trans-Atlantic record which stands at seven days two hours (Bourgnon in 1994).

SEND A MESSAGE:    EMAIL: ELLEN MACARTHUR

DAME ELLEN MACARTHUR

TRI NEWS: JOYON SETS NEW SOLO RECORD

B&Q has over 350 stores in the UK, China and Taiwan and employs about 40,000 people.  With its sister DIY company Castorama which has stores in France, Italy and Poland, B&Q is the biggest DIY retailer in Europe and third biggest in the world.    http://www.diy.com

Ellen MacArthur began her world solo record attempt Sun 28 Nov 04 @ 07:10

PLEASE USE THE LINKS ABOVE TO READ HOW ELLEN SET A NEW WORLD RECORD

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