Nice one Ellen!!!
Ellen Macarthur has just become the fastest person to sail around the world in 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds.
She has beaten the previous record by 1 day, 8 hours and 35 minutes!!!!
I have been following Ellen's progress using the website http://www.teamellen.com so when she crossed the finish line in the English Channel I just had to go down and join the party.
At midnight on Monday I left home and drove for just under four hours to Falmouth in Cornwall. On arrival I parked up in the main car park outside the maritime museum. There were lots of other cars there with people sleeping in them. I tried to sleep but failed. At 6am the burger van opened up and a giant video screen was showing clips of Ellen's adventures so far. After breakfast from the burger van I drove to the B&B I had booked for Tuesday night. I walked back to the maritime museum and got a great vantage point to see Ellen come ashore. After waiting for about 4 hours her team brought her boat B&Q in. Ellen's team joined her on board soon after crossing the finish line. It was truly amazing and the atmosphere was fantastic.
Ellen came ashore and went on a stage and spoke to the crowd, she was joined by Sir Robin Knox Johnson (The first person to sail around the world non-stop) and her team. After much Champagne being sprayed around she went inside and gave an official press conference. She was then driven away.
It was not all over yet. I was coming back from a walk around the town and I decided to go and have another look at her boat. When I was there Ellen was giving interviews to to worlds media. I had a great vantage point and hung around. I even had a chance to briefly speak to her!!! She went away so I decided to walk back to my hotel, I was walking back through the car park and Ellen and her family walked right past me on their own!!
It was a fantastic day and well worth 30-odd hours without sleep!!!
There are pictures and loads of info about Ellen and her trip at the website http://www.teamellen.com.
She has beaten the previous record by 1 day, 8 hours and 35 minutes!!!!
I have been following Ellen's progress using the website http://www.teamellen.com so when she crossed the finish line in the English Channel I just had to go down and join the party.
At midnight on Monday I left home and drove for just under four hours to Falmouth in Cornwall. On arrival I parked up in the main car park outside the maritime museum. There were lots of other cars there with people sleeping in them. I tried to sleep but failed. At 6am the burger van opened up and a giant video screen was showing clips of Ellen's adventures so far. After breakfast from the burger van I drove to the B&B I had booked for Tuesday night. I walked back to the maritime museum and got a great vantage point to see Ellen come ashore. After waiting for about 4 hours her team brought her boat B&Q in. Ellen's team joined her on board soon after crossing the finish line. It was truly amazing and the atmosphere was fantastic.
Ellen came ashore and went on a stage and spoke to the crowd, she was joined by Sir Robin Knox Johnson (The first person to sail around the world non-stop) and her team. After much Champagne being sprayed around she went inside and gave an official press conference. She was then driven away.
It was not all over yet. I was coming back from a walk around the town and I decided to go and have another look at her boat. When I was there Ellen was giving interviews to to worlds media. I had a great vantage point and hung around. I even had a chance to briefly speak to her!!! She went away so I decided to walk back to my hotel, I was walking back through the car park and Ellen and her family walked right past me on their own!!
It was a fantastic day and well worth 30-odd hours without sleep!!!
There are pictures and loads of info about Ellen and her trip at the website http://www.teamellen.com.