TIME:1946HRS
AVERAGE SPEED OF RECORD:13.86 knots (1 day, 20 hours, 42 seconds) MAXIMUM SPEED: 28.4 knots
AVERAGE SPEED: 12.7 knots
FINAL CLASSIFICATION: 4TH MULTIHULL; 1ST BRITISH HELM

1946HRS

The race for first place in the Fastnet was decided at Land’s End on the way out when Fujicolor (1st) & Broceliande (2nd) got the other side of the front and sped away on a completely different breeze. These two came over the line just after midday with half an hour between them.

However, Kingfisher and Banque Populaire have been hurtling along the stretch of water between Bishop’s Rock and the Lizard at top speeds like two Formula 1 cars side by side vying for third place down this watery straight to the finish line.

Only a matter of 10 miles to the end, the wind lessened but neither co-skippers Lalou Roucayrol & Jack Vincent on Banque Populaire or Yvan Bourgnon & Ellen MacArthur on Kingfisher were going to concede until the absolute end. It was Banque Populaire who finally took the last podium.

At the finish, Ellen tried to describe the sensation of racing these speed machines: “This afternoon Kingfisher clocked an incredible 28.4 knots, lifting two of the three hulls right out of the water – what an awesome sensation of being airbourne! It’s been a full on wet and wild experience since we neared the Fastnet rock which was over 12 hours ago and so we’re all completely exhausted from the ride of our lives. “

“The Anglo-French teamwork on Kingfisher has been great as we have shared some pretty extreme situations together, from utter frustration to total exhiliration. Although we didn’t break the record, this has been a mindblowing experience for me to go so incredibly fast over the water.”

Yvan Bourgnon, co-skipper, says of Ellen: “She looks like a very small girl compared to the big 60ft trimaran, but she has impressed all the crew. We have had lots of fun sailing together.”

Interviews with Ellen on board Kingfisher can be heard on the official Kingfisher Challenges website

You can also follow Ellen’s next adventure as she prepares herself for the Laser 4000 dinghy regatta in Lake Como late August with Olympic sailor Paul Brotherton.

Related Links to the Fastnet