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18 August 2005, 10:58 am

News article - Style G 12645

WSSRC Record Attempt

Newfoundland, Canada

After a delivery trip lasting eight days, the 75 foot trimaran B&Q arrived in the Canadian port of St. John's, Newfoundland early yesterday afternoon. The delivery crew disembarked from the trimaran, and now B&Q skipper Ellen MACARTHUR (GBR) and back up crew Charles DARBYSHIRE (GBR) are taking her on to New York, USA ready for the start of an attempt on Francis JOYON's (FRA) solo transatlantic record of days, 4 hours, 1 minute and 37 seconds.

It is a relatively short turn around for the delivery crew of Loik GALLON (FRA), Jean-Sébastien CHESNIER PROTEAU (FRA), Lalou ROUCAYROL (FRA) and Kate STEVEN (GBR) and MACARTHUR and DARBYSHIRE as they clear customs and restock the boat. MACARTHUR decided to delay the departure for New York until today, 'We have decided to delay departure until tomorrow [this] morning otherwise we will just sail out into 30 knots on the nose from the southwest. So we will wait for the wind to go into the northwest and then leave. We should have a good breeze to start with but it could get lighter in the middle so our ETA for New York is currently 22/23 August. It's still another 1,000 miles to sail so it is a fair distance to go.'

Since finishing her solo round the world record, MACARTHUR has only sailed with a crew on a couple of smaller record attempts and this will be her first opportunity to sail in 'solo' mode. DARBYSHIRE will be onboard purely in a back up role and to test some of the communication equipment on board, 'This is the first time I have sailed B&Q by myself since February. I am hoping to be able to push B&Q over this 1,000 mile delivery and test the set up of the boat in a lighter mode. Doing a record attempt that only lasts seven days compared to 70+ day attempt, the boat is not loaded up in the same way.'

Upon arrival in New York, it is planned that the trimaran will be berthed for the first few days at North Cove Marina which is located in downtown Manhattan where the current solo transatlantic record holder, JOYON, berthed his 90 foot trimaran IDEC whilst he was on standby.

MACARTHUR will not be the only skipper on standby for an attempt on the current 6 day, 4 hour, 1 minute and 37 second solo transatlantic record set by JOYON earlier in the year from 30 June-6 July. Since the beginning of August, French skipper Thomas COVILLE has been based in New York with his record breaking 60 foot trimaran Sodebo. MACARTHUR is due to go on standby from 1 September to wait for the ideal weather system to propel her 2,925 miles across the North Atlantic. If COVILLE is still waiting in the wings, it could turn into a race as well as a record attempt! However today the French skipper announced a possible departure this weekend.