KINGFISHER Challenge 2000

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SHE DID IT!

(19 June 2000)

In the early hours here in Newport, USA, Ellen MacArthur crossed the line to take victory in the Europe1 New Man single-handed transatlantic race. After a tortuous final 36 hours in light and variable winds, the 23 year old slid in to Newport, Rhode Island at 1021 GMT this morning, to become the youngest winner of the race since its inception in 1960.

Racing 'Kingfisher' for the first time since her launch in Auckland in February earlier this year, Ellen has surpassed everyone's expectations, including her own. The conditions in the race certainly favoured the design configuration of 'Kingfisher', but Ellen has nonetheless proven herself capable of holding her own against the very best. The Vendee Globe is the ultimate objective for Ellen - the single-handed non-stop around the world race which starts in November 2000. This transatlantic race, which started shortly after her arrival from a 12,000 mile delivery back from New Zealand, was very much meant to be a training race for her. Ellen had this to say as she set foot on American soil -

"My objective was top ten. I couldn't believe it when I found myself at the front. Certainly there were a few boats like PRB not pushing themselves as hard as they could, saving their boats for the Vendee. Some of the guys I respect most, Yves and Toma in particular, were out at an early stage as well. It was great to have Bilou (SILL) so close to keep pushing me hard 24 hours a day. However, I found it incredibly stressful to be leading, and very challenging to make the right tactical choices on my own. I'm sure I could not have held the lead it we had been racing downwind more like in the Vendee, but overall I'm naturally very happy with 'Kingfisher'. It's a very strong bond between us now after 15,000 miles together. I really do also want to thank all the supporters, friends, suppliers, sponsors and the Kingfisher Challenges shore team - I really haven't done this alone. Sir Francis Chichester, winner of the first race, has also been a great hero for me, so it is incredible to have won this race"

Sir Geoff Mulcahy, Kingfisher's Chief Executive, was delighted with the result, and paid tribute to Ellen and the Kingfisher Challenges Team. "Ellen's exceptional performance in this tough and challenging Race is a testimony to her skills, courage and commitment, and her determination to succeed. She is an inspiration to the 125,000 people working across our operating companies, and Kingfisher is truly proud to be associated with her."

Support during this race from employees across the Kingfisher group has been fantastic. Messages have been received from people across the group, from warehouse to shop and head office.

One of the group's companies has gone a step further. As a celebration of Ellen's success, COMET, Kingfisher's UK electrical retailer, has announced a donation of 10,000 pounds worth of equipment to one of Ellen's chosen charities, RYA Sailability. Sailability provides opportunities for disabled people to enjoy sailing. Early in her career at the London Boat Show in 1996, Ellen met their patron - HRH the Princess Royal.

'Kingfisher' was designed by a European team including Merfyn Owen, Rob Humphreys, Giovanni Belgrano and Alain Gautier. She was built in New Zealand, by Marten Yachts, and is fitted with Southern Spars mast and boom. Sails are by North Sails France, and the deck hardware is split between Harken winches and Frederiksen blocks. She is slightly heavier and less powerful than many of the Finot designs, but has been constructed very much around Ellen and the challenge of lasting for a 100+ days on the Vendee Globe.

The final word (of this chapter)

She didn't cross the line first, but I'm sure we scored a victory.

In September 1998, Ellen and I were desperately searching for the funds to enable her to compete in the Route du Rhum race which at the time I was convinced was the the right stepping stone for her in to the french dominated professional sailing scene that I began to know and love in the early nineties. We were really struggling, and were taking some big risks in financial terms. Before Kingfisher plc came in with the first sponsorship package, there were a group of a 15 people who put up their own money, for no direct commercial gain. Anthony and Chris Lane from TMI were the first people to put their faith in Ellen in a financial way in '98, and coupled with John Caulcutt's encouragement to Bill West and Skandia at the Cowes Week prizegiving event, sufficient money was raised to get us on our way.

Without that seed money, we could have never had the chance to go to Kingfisher with a project that was already running, and without Kingfisher we could not have chartered Pete Goss' AQ, and we would not have just experienced what we have in this race together. To that team then, to Charles Dunstone and Hugh Morrison who put their faith in us in 1997 for the Mini, Thierry Fagnant for teaching Ellen how to be French, the hundreds of people before and since that have helped out in their own ways (the list would crash your email), to the dedicated media, office, design, build and shore team of Kingfisher and Offshore Challenges, to the people that have trained Ellen at sea and on land,to Mike and Geoff for acting on their instincts, to the team at Kingfisher pic for putting their faith in us in their very first sponsorship, and to the thousands of normal people of all languages, cultures and aspirations from all over the world that we have been recieving messages of support to Ellen - a million thanks. Un tres grand merci. If in any way Ellen has helped you imagine you can attain just one of your own dreams, then we've acheived what we set out to. I hope that we can continue to share and give back to those that helped Ellen get this far, for the saying is absolutely right - single-handed but not alone.

Thank you.

Mark and Ellen

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