ELLEN RECORD BID IS SLOWED DOWN

YACHTSWOMAN Ellen MacArthur's bid to become the fastest person to sail solo non-stop round the world was in jeopardy last night.

The 28-year-old has seen her lead over the current record slashed to just 24 hours compared with the five days she had when passing Cape Horn 11 days ago.

Ellen said she expected to lose the lead entirely in the next few days as she battles to keep a speed of over eight knots in her trimaran B&Q.

Frenchman Francis Joyon Joyon set the record of 72 days, 22 hours, 54 minutes and 22 seconds in February last year. Ellen, from Cowes on the Isle of Wight, needs to cross the Equator by 8.35am (GMT) on January 29 if she is to stay ahead.

"We thought Francis had a pretty bad run up the Atlantic, as he did, but nothing as bad as us," she said. "We were four days ahead of him at Cape Horn and if we cross the Equator ahead of him it will be a miracle."

The conditions 700 miles off Brazil have allowed her to recover from injuries she suffered making repairs.

The 5ft 2ins sailor said: "Right now I feel achy, very, very tired and a bit relieved that we've got some light winds to have a stable boat."

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