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Reader's comments on Ellen's extraordinary achievement

Following Ellen's record readers have been seen us their feedback about her extraordinary achievement:

Tim Davies writes:

Ellen's achievement is astonishing.

I'd like to see Ellen & Offshore Challenges enter the next Volvo Round the World Race. With their proven track record in delivering the goods in term of results and Ellen's celebrity they would be able to raise the necessary funds for a UK entry. It doesn't look like there is going to be a UK funded boat racing this year or even a British skipper. Unless Matt Humphries or Neal Macdonald are about to surprise us.

Well done to the OC team


From the US Lehel Garami sends us this:

So few seem to take the time to explore our world, and experience the adventures of living life so fully.

It truly is wonderfull to be able to be so close to the action of this latest voyage of Ellen's via the web, the media and such, and perhaps even motivate more of us to follow our own dreams.

congratulations ellen, and your great team ; )))


From Team Philips designer Adrian Thompson (in the wilds of the Isle of Man):

As someone who has been a member of a team with similar objectives and failed, I can only appreciate and admire the extraordinary attention to detail and professionalism that flowed through this challenge. It’s right that Ellen should receive the lion’s share of praise for her outstanding performance, but equally there should be praise indeed for the team of people who designed and built this boat, and who fussed over the many details that make the difference between success and failure. I don’t know them all by name, but their contributions and support throughout the challenge deserve acknowledgement and praise.


Miss SailRocket, Helena Darvelid, sent us this:

What can I say...Ellen is a true inspiration to any sailor, Ellen just simply ROCKS! Very, very, well done Ellen.


Tony Harris, former madforsailing publisher, now Publisher and CEO of Boat International Publications Ltd looked beyond just the record:

This is a fantastic achievement that I’m sure will stand for some time to come. It is also inevitable that the amazing combination of Ellen, her boat and her team will take more records over the coming seasons.

What struck me yesterday while watching the TV coverage of her ‘homecoming’ into Falmouth was the sheer professionalism of Ellen and her team in managing the media event.

Very rarely do you see so much attention being given to ensure that 1. Sponsors get value for money, 2. The press get what they want and 3.the public get their slice of Ellen too! Outstanding.

What Ellen and Mark Turner (and their team) have managed to do over a long period of time is deliver real value for money to a growing roster of blue chip sponsors in a sport where many sponsors have been treated as a necessary evil and often leave the sport empty handed, never to return.

The sporting results that this team have delivered are astonishing, but what is truly revolutionary (for sailing) about their achievements is that it is all done on the back of hard won commercial sponsorship all based on simple ROI logic.

It just shows what can be achieved when the sponsors’ aims are aligned with the sporting endeavour from the outset.


From the UK Annabel Deuchar writes:

Ellen Macarthur is an inspiration - not just to push oneself to the limit, but also to those less directed than her to stick a toe in the water of uncertainty, risk and put themelves and their abilities on the line.

As a woman, I look at her with admiration, awe and not a little incomprehension - she pushes beyond limits I imagine I have in my wildest moments. As a result, she makes me even more determined to do my own small things to push out of my comfort zone. If she can do just that small thing to more people like me, she has already achieved more than most of us.


From the US round the world sailor Cam Lewis writes:

Beyond Fantastic, Beyond Incredible, a Fantastic accomplishment by an incredible sailor! Ellen is Number 1 !

Mike Arstall writes:

It is difficult to find words that do justice to her achievment and but it is a superlative effort in every way, from everyone involved, but she is the one that has the skills and mental strength to dig deep and achieve day after day what would humble 99.99% of even experienced sailors in a few days. Having spent all yesterday at Falmouth and watched her at close quarters and listened to what she says, it is hard to imagine a better ambassador for the sport - for any sport. Perhaps it is a characteristic of sports where you pit your skill against the ellements to be unassuming and modest and appreciative of the efforts of the whole team, because no matter how hard you prepare or train, you can never take success or even survival for granted - success is a gift not a right.

I hope that we can find the words to convey the enormity of her achievement to the general public, the media and sponsors in Britain so understand how fantasticsailing can be, and will start to get interested and involved and enjoy one of the greatest sports on earth, and look further than football, football and more football.

I also hope that we can convey the excitement to children and make them realise the thrill and challenge to be got from sailing and show that what Ellen has achieved, anyone with talent and committment can also achieve and sailing is not the preserve of the rich. The majority of sailors make choices about the size of house the type of car, the holidays they take etc in order to buy a boat because they love sailing not to improve their image or because of who they might meet in the Yacht Club bar. Hopefully Ellen's achievements will help to spread that word and ensure that more people young and old will be encouraged to participate in this superb sport.

Well done Ellen


From Mike Dick of Cohasset, MA in the US:

This sailor has displayed the caliber of seamanship and superhuman effort that I associate with Eric Tabarly; like him, Ellen is truly one in a generation. She and her team reaffirm that people can and will accomplish feats that fire the imagination of the entire world.

Remarkable and breathtaking. To Offshore Challenges and La Petite Anglaise, thank you for reminding us what humankind can do.


From Bill Rayner from Neutral Bay, Australia

An absolutely astounding achievement.

One thing puzzles me; I learned from the ABC television news last night that the boat was built in Australia! I'm sure you must have mentioned it at some stage but I missed it and there was no mention in today's article.

Since subscribing recently I've been surprised how thorough your coverage of all things Australian, so this omission surprised me.

To read chapter and verse of Ellen's trimaran - see the following articles
- our sail on B&Q Castorama (we were the first organ to go for a yacht on the boat)
- Ellen's view on her new trimaran


From the US Captain Anders Swahn writes:

Simply a historical event that is hugely inspiring!


From closer to home Gay Sutherland sends this:

Undoubtedly a great sailing achievement, but as with all records, only time will tell how great it is compared to what others can do. This record did not have a high profile until recently, being left to Vendee winners to improve it every four years. One thing that is absolutely certain about Ellen's achievement is that the gauntlet has been thrown down now, and there will be many more well-funded multi-hull attempts in the next few years.


Again from the US Andy Besheer writes:

First of all - if my daughters weren't already into double digit years, I'd change both of their names to Ellen - since its too late for that, I just want them to understand the magnitude of what Ellen has accomplished and set that level of courage, determination, fortitude and independence as a model for living their own lives. What a role model for young girls today (and probably not such a bad model for the rest of us to boot!).

Second - kudos and a real tip of the cap to Francis Joyon. What a true gentleman. After all of the bile and nastiness coming from the continent last winter around Jules Verne and outright round the world records, he was a breath of fresh air with his whole low key approach to the solo record. And I can't imagine a warmer or more magnanimous tribute than his congratulatory note to Ellen. Well done Francis!


From Hong Kong Robbie Knight writes:

What a stunning performance and what compulsive viewing on the internet. I found myself logging on up to three times a day to see the live data and make sure she was still underway. Most, including myself, thought the record would stand for many years and that Ellen would need a number of attempts before succeeding. Even those words can't describe the enormity of this achievement.

What next Ellen? Please don't push it for one too many.



Back to the US where John Getz says:

I am 89 years old, a long time Chicago-Mackinac and Newport Bermuda crew member with a trans-Atlantic race thrown in. I have followed this circumnavigation daily on the internet and I applaud Ellen and I think this is one of the great achievements in sailing history. She has got to be one of the most remarkable individuals who ever boarded a yacht. My congratulations and admiration for a superb accomplishment - An Ancient Mariner from Moline, Illinois on the banks of the Mississippi River.



From London Piers Stanbury writes:

What can you say but well done to her and the Offshore Challenges team, an extremely well planned and managed effort giving an extraordinary sailor the best possible opportunity to go at the record.

A totally determined and motivated sailor is required to just to contemplate taking a 75" Tri around the world, let alone complete the course, and in record time. A very special boat is required to do the same.

As sailors we can take pride in what Ellen does, we can all relate in some slight way as what she has had to do, when we come of the water aching after a days racing it gives us some perspective on her efforts. The media coverage is hopefully getting this across to the general public at large as what she has done is so immense.

Hopefully the huge amount of media coverage will not just boost Ellen's profile but sailing in general, it is great that after the Olympics we have Ellen to continue pushing Sailing as a sport at which we are successful in the UK, especially after the America's cup debacle.

Talking of the America's Cup I also feel that Ellen and Offshore Challenges really are showing sponsors that sailing can work for them, I can not imagine Kingfisher want to pull the plug at the moment, and even if they do companies will be queuing up to support them. This has got to good for everyone in the sport as potential sponsors in the UK will be much more willing to consider sailing as a sponsorship vehicle.

I am sure that Ellen will use her new found 'Celebrity' status to help to promote the sport that we all love, it is great that sailing is getting a higher profile, Ellen, Ben, 3 Blondes in a Boat, Emma Richards, Mike Golding are leading the way and the rest of us should support them and follow.

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