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MacArthur puts plans on ice
03 February 2007
By Tim Jeffery
Taken from http://www.telegraph.co.uk
Taking time out from sailing, Ellen MacArthur took part in the St Moritz bobsleigh run yesterday, the fastest, second longest and most evocative track there is.
"I'm converted," she said. "I'm going into bobsleigh for ever." What MacArthur did not say, but hinted at, is that her solo round-the-world days might be over in the short term.
Her Offshore Challenges company are building a pair of Open 60s monohulls and putting the finishing touches to organising a two-person Barcelona World Race which starts in the autumn. It seems highly unlikely that MacArthur will compete in this or the solo Vendee Globe next year.
"Obviously there is a huge motivation to say yes and go and do the Vendee Globe, but I know when I finished that it would be three times around the world in not many years and you know what you put your body through," she said.
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MacArthur added: "For the past 15 years sailing is the only thing I have ever done and sometimes it's good to take one pace back and do different things."
This was a novel experience for one of the world's most famous solo sailors, not least because Reto Florian was driving her four-man bob. For once, the round the world record-holding sailor was not controlling her own destiny.
"The adrenalin was great," said MacArthur. "If only around the world was over in 1min 15sec. But we get that adrenalin rush too and sometimes it lasts for days and you can't switch it off. When it's an all-day thing, it's really wearing.
"It's a huge parallel to sailing in the Southern Ocean at night," she said at the bottom of the run. "I thought it would feel fast. Then you go faster, then faster and you think 'hang on a moment!' It was a pretty amazing sensation."
We will probably see MacArthur move into different fields, particularly green issues.
"I'm definitely interested in that. Watch this space," she said.
At the bottom of the run MacArthur met members of the British bobsleigh team, whose world championships are running now on the same track.
Jackie Davies, driver of the women's two person bob, reckoned MacArthur's run was about 75 per cent of championship pace. "The men were doing 1min 05sec in practice."
"To be able to the speak to the British team was great," added MacArthur. "They said 'you've got a tough job' and I was thinking 'it can't be tougher than yours!'"
Taking time out from sailing, Ellen MacArthur took part in the St Moritz bobsleigh run yesterday, the fastest, second longest and most evocative track there is.
"I'm converted," she said. "I'm going into bobsleigh for ever." What MacArthur did not say, but hinted at, is that her solo round-the-world days might be over in the short term.
Her Offshore Challenges company are building a pair of Open 60s monohulls and putting the finishing touches to organising a two-person Barcelona World Race which starts in the autumn. It seems highly unlikely that MacArthur will compete in this or the solo Vendee Globe next year.
"Obviously there is a huge motivation to say yes and go and do the Vendee Globe, but I know when I finished that it would be three times around the world in not many years and you know what you put your body through," she said.
advertisement
MacArthur added: "For the past 15 years sailing is the only thing I have ever done and sometimes it's good to take one pace back and do different things."
This was a novel experience for one of the world's most famous solo sailors, not least because Reto Florian was driving her four-man bob. For once, the round the world record-holding sailor was not controlling her own destiny.
"The adrenalin was great," said MacArthur. "If only around the world was over in 1min 15sec. But we get that adrenalin rush too and sometimes it lasts for days and you can't switch it off. When it's an all-day thing, it's really wearing.
"It's a huge parallel to sailing in the Southern Ocean at night," she said at the bottom of the run. "I thought it would feel fast. Then you go faster, then faster and you think 'hang on a moment!' It was a pretty amazing sensation."
We will probably see MacArthur move into different fields, particularly green issues.
"I'm definitely interested in that. Watch this space," she said.
At the bottom of the run MacArthur met members of the British bobsleigh team, whose world championships are running now on the same track.
Jackie Davies, driver of the women's two person bob, reckoned MacArthur's run was about 75 per cent of championship pace. "The men were doing 1min 05sec in practice."
"To be able to the speak to the British team was great," added MacArthur. "They said 'you've got a tough job' and I was thinking 'it can't be tougher than yours!'"