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Trimaran
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Ellen
Macarthur
Ellen
began this epic adventure on the 28th November
2004. We reported on the
KEY
DATA DAY 9 0710 GMT: 10 hours 4 minutes ahead
of Joyon
(data communicated by Thrane MiniC via BT Business
Broadband)
Lat/Long: 01 06 S / 029 38 W (66 miles south of the
Equator / 475 NE of Recife, coast of Brazil)
Average Boat speed: 14.81 knots (heading SSW)
True Wind speed: 14.6 knots (direction SE)
Distance sailed so far: 3501 miles
Update
based on data recorded 0710 GMT...check http://www.teamellen.com
for the latest data updated hourly
OMEGA:
Official timekeeper for Ellen MacArthur
IN
BRIEF:
*
ELLEN MACARTHUR SETS NEW SOLO BENCHMARK...crossing into
the Southern Hemisphere at 0230 GMT, Ellen set a new
solo Ushant to Equator time of 8 days, 18 hours and 20
minutes, taking 14 hours and 3 minutes of the previous
time set by Francis Joyon... "A gust of wind
kicked in just as we approached the 'line' so we sped in
to the southern hemisphere at over 14
knots....nice!"
*
AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE FOR ELLEN...not only setting
a new time to the Equator, Ellen had another
extraordinary experience yesterday afternoon... Two
Royal Navy ships, the frigate HMS Iron Duke and RFA
tanker HMS Gold Rover, rendezvoused with Ellen just
north of the Equator and a helicopter from HMS Iron Duke
'buzzed' past Ellen to take a few aerial shots [CLICK ON
the image links below to take a look]... "It
was so unbelievable - this has never happened to me
before. One ship was to port and one to starboard - I
chatted with the captain for a while, then they peeled
away and carried on there way home. I felt really
emotional once they had gone..."
*
NEXT MAJOR WEATHER HURDLE IS THE ST HELENA HIGH...a
potentially massive anticyclone area of no wind, that
can stretch thousands of miles across the South Atlantic
blocking the way through to the Southern Ocean...
Download
images from:
http://www.ocftp2.com/images/ellen/8041low_oc.jpg
(Royal Navy helicopter)
http://www.ocftp2.com/images/ellen/8042high_rn.jpg
(B&Q and HMS Iron Duke)
http://www.ocftp2.com/images/ellen/8043high_rn.jpg
(ariel image trimaran B&Q)
http://www.ocftp2.com/images/ellen/8044low_rn.jpg
(close-up Ellen)
To
follow Ellen's record attempt and for the latest
information, go to http://www.teamellen.com
or change subscription to more regular updates, click on
the link below at the end of this update...
Ellen
MacArthur on deck
IN DETAIL:
Ellen
MacArthur, onboard her 75-foot trimaran B&Q, has set
a new solo time to the Equator of 8 days, 18 hours, 20
minutes. MacArthur crossed the Equator into the southern
hemisphere at 0230 GMT this morning (7.12.04) and
subsequently took 14 hours and 3 minutes off the
previous fastest solo time of 9 days, 8 hours, 23
minutes set by French sailor, Francis Joyon, during his
successful solo around the world record attempt. Joyon
crossed the Equator on day 9 of his round the world tour
on 1st December 2003, he then went on to set a new solo
round the world record time of 72 days, 22 hours, 54
minutes and 22 seconds - that is the record Ellen
MacArthur is now trying to beat.
"A
gust of wind kicked in just as we approached the 'line'
so we sped in to the southern hemisphere at over 14
knots....nice!" Ellen reported in a brief call
in during the night. She was already more concerned on
the next objective - getting around the Saint Helena
anticyclone.
Ellen
MacArthur started her solo attempt on 28.11.04 at
08:10:44 GMT and since crossing the start line off
Ushant has battled 40+ knots of wind in a low pressure
system off the Spanish/Portuguese coast and in the last
48 hours has crossed the volatile region known as the
Doldrums that sit just north of the Equator.
Not
only setting a new time to the Equator of 8 days, 18
hours and 20 minutes, Ellen had another extraordinary
experience yesterday afternoon... The Royal Navy's
frigate HMS Iron Duke and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
tanker RFA Gold Rover, rendezvoused with Ellen just
north of the Equator at approx 1700 GMT and a Lynx
helicopter from HMS Iron Duke 'buzzed' past Ellen to
take a few aerial shots... "It was so
unbelievable - this has never happened to me before. One
ship was to port and one to starboard - I chatted with
the captain for a while, then they peeled away and
carried on there way home. I felt really emotional once
they had gone..." Sailing alone on the world's
oceans, hundreds or thousands of miles from land, it is
rare to see any birdlife and it is equally unique to
have visual contact with another boat or ship. The two
ships, enroute from the Falkland Islands via Brazil had
been closely monitoring Ellen's progress, came within a
mile of the trimaran B&Q and the ships company came
on deck to cheer and wave.
Ellen
tends the sails
PARTNER
OF THE DAY : Bollé
Official eye protection wear for Ellen MacArthur
Click
here for further information on Sailing Speed Records http://www.sailspeedrecords.com
and here for information on Ellen's campaign http://www.teamellen.com
To
change frequency of email updates selecting daily,
weekly or major, please click here
http://www.teamellen.com/updates.asp
For further information, please contact
Offshore Challenges:
Lou Newlands or Lucy Harwood
T: +44 (0)870 063 0210
E: lou@offshorechallenges.com
or lucy@offshorechallenges.com
Email
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has over 350 stores in the UK, China and Taiwan and
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Poland, B&Q is the biggest DIY retailer in Europe
and third biggest in the world. http://www.diy.com
Superb
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LINKS
TO OTHER SITES ON THIS STORY:
Vendee
Globe: Jourdain Reaches Hobart; Leaders Take on the
Pacific
Ellen
MacArthur Sets Solo Record To Cape of Good Hope
Vendee
Globe: Roland Jourdain Devastated by Keel Damage
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ELLEN MACARTHUR -
SOLO NAVIGATION RECORD ATTEMPT
