KEY DATA DAY 9 0710 GMT: 10 hours 4 minutes ahead of Joyon (data communicated by Thrane MiniC via BT Business Broadband) Lat/Long: 01 06 S / 029 38 W (66 miles south of the Equator / 475 NE of Recife, coast of Brazil) Average Boat speed: 14.81 knots (heading SSW) True Wind speed: 14.6 knots (direction SE) Distance sailed so far: 3501 miles.

Update based on data recorded 0710 GMT...check http://www.teamellen.com for the latest data updated hourly

OMEGA: Official timekeeper for Ellen MacArthur

IN BRIEF:

• ELLEN MACARTHUR SETS NEW SOLO BENCHMARK...crossing into the Southern Hemisphere at 0230 GMT, Ellen set a new solo Ushant to Equator time of 8 days, 18 hours and 20 minutes, taking 14 hours and 3 minutes of the previous time set by Francis Joyon... "A gust of wind kicked in just as we approached the 'line' so we sped in to the southern hemisphere at over 14 knots....nice!"
• AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE FOR ELLEN...not only setting a new time to the Equator, Ellen had another extraordinary experience yesterday afternoon... Two Royal Navy ships, the frigate HMS Iron Duke and RFA tanker HMS Gold Rover, rendezvoused with Ellen just north of the Equator and a helicopter from HMS Iron Duke 'buzzed' past Ellen to take a few aerial shots [CLICK ON the image links below to take a look]... "It was so unbelievable - this has never happened to me before. One ship was to port and one to starboard - I chatted with the captain for a while, then they peeled away and carried on there way home. I felt really emotional once they had gone..."
• NEXT MAJOR WEATHER HURDLE IS THE ST HELENA HIGH...a potentially massive anticyclone area of no wind, that can stretch thousands of miles across the South Atlantic blocking the way through to the Southern Ocean...

Download images from:
http://www.ocftp2.com/images/ellen/8041low_oc.jpg (Royal Navy helicopter)
http://www.ocftp2.com/images/ellen/8042high_rn.jpg (B&Q and HMS Iron Duke)
http://www.ocftp2.com/images/ellen/8043high_rn.jpg (ariel image trimaran B&Q)
http://www.ocftp2.com/images/ellen/8044low_rn.jpg (close-up Ellen)

To follow Ellen's record attempt and for the latest information, go to http://www.teamellen.com or change subscription to more regular updates, click on the link below at the end of this update...

IN DETAIL:

Ellen MacArthur, onboard her 75-foot trimaran B&Q, has set a new solo time to the Equator of 8 days, 18 hours, 20 minutes. MacArthur crossed the Equator into the southern hemisphere at 0230 GMT this morning (7.12.04) and subsequently took 14 hours and 3 minutes off the previous fastest solo time of 9 days, 8 hours, 23 minutes set by French sailor, Francis Joyon, during his successful solo around the world record attempt. Joyon crossed the Equator on day 9 of his round the world tour on 1st December 2003, he then went on to set a new solo round the world record time of 72 days, 22 hours, 54 minutes and 22 seconds - that is the record Ellen MacArthur is now trying to beat.

"A gust of wind kicked in just as we approached the 'line' so we sped in to the southern hemisphere at over 14 knots....nice!" Ellen reported in a brief call in during the night. She was already more concerned on the next objective - getting around the Saint Helena anticyclone.

Ellen MacArthur started her solo attempt on 28.11.04 at 08:10:44 GMT and since crossing the start line off Ushant has battled 40+ knots of wind in a low pressure system off the Spanish/Portuguese coast and in the last 48 hours has crossed the volatile region known as the Doldrums that sit just north of the Equator.

Not only setting a new time to the Equator of 8 days, 18 hours and 20 minutes, Ellen had another extraordinary experience yesterday afternoon... The Royal Navy's frigate HMS Iron Duke and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker RFA Gold Rover, rendezvoused with Ellen just north of the Equator at approx 1700 GMT and a Lynx helicopter from HMS Iron Duke 'buzzed' past Ellen to take a few aerial shots... "It was so unbelievable - this has never happened to me before. One ship was to port and one to starboard - I chatted with the captain for a while, then they peeled away and carried on there way home. I felt really emotional once they had gone..." Sailing alone on the world's oceans, hundreds or thousands of miles from land, it is rare to see any birdlife and it is equally unique to have visual contact with another boat or ship. The two ships, enroute from the Falkland Islands via Brazil had been closely monitoring Ellen's progress, came within a mile of the trimaran B&Q and the ships company came on deck to cheer and wave.

PARTNER OF THE DAY : Bollé
Official eye protection wear for Ellen MacArthur

Click here for further information on Sailing Speed Records http://www.sailspeedrecords.com and here for information on Ellen's campaign http://www.teamellen.com

Article added 21/10/04.