Oceanracing 2002 - Route du Rhum 2002

Route du Rhum 2002
www.routedurhum.org

zur Übersicht
Guadeloupe welcomes Ellen MacArthur

Empfänger: Redaktion SEGEL.DE
Datum: 23. Nov 2002 03:59
NEWSFLASH SATURDAY 23 NOVEMBER, AT 0230 GMT
ROUTE DU RHUM 2002 60-FOOT IMOCA MONOHULL CLASS:
VICTORY OF ELLEN MACARTHUR ON KINGFISHER

Ellen MacArthur on Kingfisher won the Route du Rhum 2002 in the 60-foot IMOCA monohull class today, Saturday November 23.
Ellen MacArthur was first over the start line in Saint-Malo, Saturday 9 November at 1345 French time, 1245 GMT. She crossed the finish line today, Saturday 23 November at 0216:47 GMT, Friday 22 November GMT 2316:47 local Guadeloupe time.

Ein großer Moment in der Karriere
Photo: Martin-Raget

The previous record for monohulls in the Route du Rhum was 15 days, 19 hours, 23 minutes (Yves Parlier sur Cacolac d’Aquitaine en 1994), Ellen MacArthur has established a new record time on the course Saint-Malo/Pointe-à-Pitre, at 13 days, 13 hours and 31 minutes, 47 seconds.
Ellen MacArthur has raced a total of 3968 miles at the average speed of 12.9 knots, which means 417 miles longer than the orthodromic route (direct route following the curve of the earth), which is 3 551 miles.
The atmosphere here just sends shivers down your spine. Hundreds of lights from the little boats gathering up the little star easing towards the finish ribbon at 7-8 knots through the melee of well wishers. Thousands carpeted the beaches to welcome the Queen of the Ocean who, right till the very end reindexed entirely and utterly focused.
Her racing spirit exploding in the flares she sent off just minutes are crossing the line of this, surely one of the greatest, Route du Rhums in history!
Average speed:
Average speed on water:12.19
Average speed according to the orthodromy:10. 9
Background:
Solo, the competitors are helming, handling manoeuvres, spending hours analysing the charts, eating and drinking because they have to, slumbering whenever there is a moment, fighting fatigue, coping with stress, keeping a clear head in the ferocious lows of the North Atlantic, and pushing or holding back the speed of their fast machines across the Atlantic from Saint-Malo in Brittany, France to Pointe à Pitre in Guadeloupe in the French West Indies.
Ellen MacArthur, 26 years old, has made history today, being the first female skipper and the first Brit to win the monohull class of the Route du Rhum. In 1990 the world followed the fantastic victory of Florence Arthaud on her trimaran Pierre 1er, Ellen is now the new star of solo racing. Sylvie Viant, president of the race committee said earlier today, “Ellen MacArthur is the greatest female solo sailor in all time. She is brilliant in all categories, she speaks perfect French, she is natural, charming, intelligent, always eager to learn more, and never one hundred percent satisfied. She wants to learn more and more, through herself and from other experienced people, like Alain Gautier and Yves Parlier.”
Ellen has a fantastic solo career on her record: In 1997, at the age of 21 she completed the Mini-Transat (17th), one year later, in 1998, she won the 50.foot monohull class of the Route du Rhum. She won the Europe 1 New Man Star in 2000 and was second in the Vendée Globe 2000/2001 (solo race around the world)! A track record hard to beat for any of the top solo sailors of all time, and that at the age of 26!
Ellen was second in the double handed Transat Jacques Vabre last year with Alain Gautier on the multihull Foncia, and has big plans for mulithull sailing in the future. A true star of sailing.