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Ellen Patricia MacArthur, MBE (born July 8, 1976) is a British sailor from Whatstandwell near Matlock in Derbyshire who was named 1998 British Telecom/Royal Yachting Association Yachtsman of The Year in the UK and "Sailing's Young Hope" in France. In 2001 MacArthur was awarded an MBE for services to sport. On February 8, 2005, it was announced that Ellen MacArthur was to be appointed a Dame Commander of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire on the occasion of her record-breaking, solo circumnavigation. She was also made an honorary Lieutenant Commander of the Royal Naval Reserve on the same day.

She acquired her early interest in sailing by reading Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons books and is the Patron of the Nancy Blackett Trust which owns and operates Ransome's yacht Nancy Blackett.

She began her attempt to break the solo record for sailing non-stop around the world on November 28, 2004 in a 75-foot (23 metre) trimaran named "B&Q/Castorama", which was designed by Nigel Irens and Benoit Cabaret.

During her circumnavigation, she set records for the fastest solo voyage to the equator and past the Cape of Good Hope. She crossed the finishing line near the French coast at Ushant at 2229 UTC on February 7, 2005 beating the previous record set by French sailor Francis Joyon by 1 day, 8 hours, 35 minutes, 49 seconds.

The new record for a single-handed circumnavigation (yet to be officially ratified by the World Sailing Speed Record Council) is 71 days 14 hours 18 minutes 33 seconds during which she sailed 27,354 miles at an average speed of 15.9 knots.

External links

• Ellen MacArthur Website (http://www.teamellen.com/)
• Official timekeeper details of record (http://www.teamellen.com/ellen-article-2406.html)
• Ellen MacArthur Trust Website (http://www.ellenmacarthurtrust.org/) - The Trust's aim is to support, empower and enliven children suffering from cancer or leukaemia by introducing them to the joys of sailing on the sea.
• BBC News article: MacArthur sails into record books (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/sailing/4229079.stm)
• WSSRC - World Sailing Speed Record Council (http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/)

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