Taking on The World: You and Me, Baby!

ELLEN MACARTHUR

             by Geeta Malik

Acres of water spread out in every direction;  icebergs lay in wait under the surface of the  freezing ocean. Later, the sun would become  blinding and the wind would tear through Ellen  MacArthur's sails as she pushed forward alone,  near Antarctica, in her Kingfisher boat. She would have to make numerous back-breaking repairs, facing battering weather and harsh conditions. The food was freeze-dried, her water  rationed, and her naptimes often limited to twenty  minutes in 24 hours. Physical, mental and emotional  exhaustion were only a few of the obstacles she  faced on her odyssey around the world. A year ago, Ellen MacArthur competed in the prestigious Vendee  Globe 2000, a sailing race that takes a round-the-world tour of  rough seas and debilitating conditions. At the age of 24, being one  of two women in the race, Ellen was facing all the odds. She came in second place, making history with her strength and determination. Ever since she was a little girl, Ellen knew she wanted to sail. She  fought hard for sponsorships and saved her money to buy boats  and equipment. When she began the Vendee Globe race as the  youngest person and also the smallest in stature (at 5'2), Ellen's goal was simply to place in the top five. At one point, her sail  tore and she had to shimmy up the 90-foot mast in stormy weather to repair it; another time, her boat hit a solid object floating in the  water and the daggerboard broke. The daggerboard, many times  Ellen's size and weight, had to be hauled on deck and replaced.  Ellen lost her lead at this point, but soon returned to second place  with barely a hitch. Ellen ended the Vendee Globe  race after 94 days alone at sea. She broke records by being  both the youngest solo sailor and  completing the fastest non-stop  circumnavigation of the  globe by a woman.