MacArthur's bid for more glory
A year after breaking the solo round-the-world record, British sailor Ellen MacArthur believes there's a lot more to come.
MacArthur is looking to set 12 records during the upcoming Asian Record Circuit, which includes Hong Kong as one of its key cities.
The circuit will start in the Japanese port of Yokohama with the objective to establish a series of crewed record times between key Asian ports, such as Jeju Island (South Korea), Dalian , 2008 Olympics sailing venue Qingdao , Shanghai, Taipei, Hong Kong, Sanya , Nah Trang (Vietnam), Terengganu (Malaysia) and Singapore. This is the first time a major sailing competition is taking to the Asian waters with the aim of setting benchmark times that can be challenged by other sailors in the future.
MacArthur, from Derbyshire, will be using the 75-foot trimaran B&Q, the boat she sailed on to set the round-the-world navigation record of 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds in February last year.
B&Q is being tested at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club in Causeway Bay and the crew, including Chinese round-the-world sailor Shaun Weng Yixuan, will deliver the boat to Yokohama next week. It is unsure whether MacArthur will meet the crew in Hong Kong or fly directly to Yokohama from the United Kingdom.
The journey will commence on March 25 and B&Q is expected to be in the SAR again towards the end of next month. During their stay in Hong Kong, the B&Q crew will take part in a series of public events.
'It was an extraordinary voyage and perhaps my team and I did not expect to achieve this in our first attempt, but we did, and so we have been able to accelerate the programme [Asian Record Circuit].
'And this time, I will not be sailing on my own but with a crew and this is something I will enjoy immensely - to share the experience of sailing B&Q at her full potential.'
During her 42,000-kilometre solo round-the-world challenge, MacArthur battled mountainous seas and gale-force winds that threatened to capsize B&Q.
Her attempt was also jeopardised by a faulty generator and a back-up unit that pumped suffocating exhaust fumes into the cabin and raised the temperature inside to 48 degrees Celsius.
She burnt her arm badly changing back to her main generator and was battered and bruised after fixing problems with her mainsail.
She has accumulated 250,000 ocean miles - close to 11 times around the world.
