Sailing: MacArthur up to speed for fresh challenge

Twenty-five knots of wind and an uncomfortable English Channel winter chop were not ideal circumstances for a first test sail. But with a departure window opening around 16 January for a Jules Verne round-the-world record attempt, there was no choice yesterday for Ellen MacArthur's crew.

MacArthur acquired the Jules Verne record-holding boat from Bruno Peyron in the autumn. But it came without a mast after the original fell down and snapped. The Kingfisher team have been preparing the 110-foot maxi catamaran for its relaunch in Cowes while a new wing mast has been hastily constructed in Cherbourg. The new mast was raised by two gigantic cranes last Wednesday. Yesterday the boat was sailed in its new incarnation as Kingfisher 2 for the first time. Within 20 minutes the boat-speed was up in the mid 20-knots as the new mast was checked and secured and the new sails were tested for shape and fit.

Sailing with a crew on a huge catamaran is a new departure for the 26-year-old MacArthur, whose sailing track record is already stunning. Victory in the single-handed transatlantic race two years ago, second place in the Vendée Globe last year and a win in the Route du Rhum single-handed trans-Atlantic race a few weeks ago add up to an unparalleled achievement. The significance is that it has given MacArthur the credibility to pull together an all-star cast.

The plan is to sail the Kingfisher 2 to Lorient this week, to foray into the Bay of Biscay after Christmas and complete preparations by 16 January. From there the crew will be on 24 hours notice to leave on a promising weather forecast for a trip that will need to be shorter than 64 days, eight hours and 37 minutes. As a member of the crew, I can say from the heart, that these are anxious times.