Ellen back on track in record bid

BRITISH yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur is back on track in her attempt to set a new record for sailing single-handed around the world non-stop.

Ellen, 28, from Cowes, Isle of Wight, is on day 29 in her bid to beat the current record set by Frenchman Francis Joyon.

Her 15-hour lead on Joyon dwindled to just one hour in recent days as she pushed to get in position for a storm which was heading her way yesterday.

MacArthur, who set off on November 28, on the 75ft trimaran B&Q must cross the finish line at Ushant, off the French coast, no later than February 9 to beat Joyon's record of 72 days, 22 hours, 54 minutes and 22 seconds.

She has since made up most of her lost time and was about 11 hours ahead of Joyon last night.

The storm was expected to hit her as she was about 1,250 miles from Cape Leeuwin, on the south west tip of Australia.

MacArthur, speaking to her shore crew, said: "I've been stressed all night, so stressed - I've got a cracking headache, hardly had any sleep and my tongue has come out in ulcers.

"But we're OK, we're OK, we're hanging in there."

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