British yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur finally set off today in her bid to break the round-the-world sailing record.
Her maxi-catamaran Kingfisher2sped over the start line between Cornwall in southwestern England and the northwest coast of France just before 7 p.m. (Irish time) heading off into the Atlantic Ocean.
MacArthur had been held up since the start of the year in the Brittany port of Lorient waiting for the ideal weather conditions to break the round-the-world record of 64 days, eight hours, 37 minutes and 24 seconds set last May by Frenchman Bruno Peyron.
She set sail last Monday, heading for the start line, but a damaged mast forced her to divert to the English port of Plymouth where the yacht was hastily repaired.
"There is real relief onboard," said MacArthur after her record attempt got under way. "It hasn't been the most ideal way to start, but we are really happy to be able to get on with the task of challenging the Jules Verne record".
MacArthur's rival for the record, Frenchman Olivier de Kersauson, left port on January 11th and has entered the Indian Ocean in his yacht Geronimotwo days and four hours ahead of record schedule.
PA