Solo yachtswoman sails to victory
LONDON, England -- British yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur has sailed into the record books, after finishing her solo round-the-world journey.
The 28-year-old crossed a "finish line" in the waters between Ushant, France, and the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall on the south coast of England after sailing for 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds, her control team said.
"An absolutely unbelievable voyage, both physically and mentally," MacArthur said in live comments on British television shortly after she crossed the line at about 2229 GMT.
The previous record was of 72 days and 23 hours was set by Frenchman Francis Joyon last year.
MacArthur had endured a difficult night after failing to make her final big tack towards the finish point.
"We've had rain squalls. We've had wind direction changes. At one point the boat tacked itself because the wind shift was so great," she said earlier.
"It's been a real full-on night. I am very very tired."
When MacArthur started out in November in her 25 meter (75 foot) trimaran, there seemed little chance she would beat Joyon.
He had knocked 20 days off the previous record and was the first person to do the trip non-stop in a multi-hull boat.
But good weather and the good performance of her tri-hull boat saw MacArthur achieve her dream.
MacArthur first came to prominence when she finished second in the Vendee Globe round the world race in 2000-2001.
