STORIES
Sports
DONATE

Ellen MacArthur

by Geeta Malik

"It would be easy to say 'chill out' when you're tired but you never have to lose the goal of the finish line. That's what you set out to do and ... what you stick to."

Acres of water spread out in every direction; icebergs lay in wait under the surface of the freezing ocean. Later, the sun would become blinding and the wind would tear through Ellen MacArthur's sails as she pushed forward alone, near Antarctica, in her Kingfisher boat. She would have to make numerous back- breaking repairs, facing battering weather and harsh conditions. The food was freeze-dried, her water rationed, and her naptimes often limited to twenty minutes in 24 hours. Physical, mental and emotional exhaustion were only a few of the obstacles she faced on her odyssey around the world.


A year ago, Ellen MacArthur competed in the prestigious Vendee Globe 2000, a sailing race that takes a round-the-world tour of rough seas and debilitating conditions. At the age of 24, being one of two women in the race, Ellen was facing all the odds. She came in second place, making history with her strength and determination.

Ever since she was a little girl, Ellen knew she wanted to sail. She fought hard for sponsorships and saved her money to buy boats and equipment. When she began the Vendee Globe race as the youngest person and also the smallest in stature (at 5'2), Ellen's goal was simply to place in the top five. At one point, her sail tore and she had to shimmy up the 90-foot mast in stormy weather to repair it; another time, her boat hit a solid object floating in the water and the daggerboard broke. The daggerboard, many times Ellen's size and weight, had to be hauled on deck and replaced. Ellen lost her lead at this point, but soon returned to second place with barely a hitch.


Ellen ended the Vendee Globe race after 94 days alone at sea. She broke records by being both the youngest solo sailor and completing the fastest non-stop circumnavigation of the globe by a woman.

Page created on 6/10/2004 9:05:58 AM

Last edited 6/10/2004 9:05:58 AM

The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.

Related Links

Kingfisher Challenges - The home page of Ellen's Vendee Globe Sponsors.
Ellen MacArthur Home Page

Related Books