Round-the-world yachtswoman, Tracy Edwards commends Ellen MacArthur for her record-breaking achievement

Like Ellen, Edwards has sailed non-stop circumnavigations, famously skippering an all-woman crew in the 1989/90 Whitbread Round the World race aboard Maiden Great Britain. On the day that Ellen MacArthur came home with the historic non-stop solo circumnavigation record, Tracy praised:

“Ellen’s really accomplished something incredible. Her boat is smaller and lighter than the giant ones in the Oryx Quest, but when you’re on your own, mentally and physically drained, it will bring you right to the limits of human capability. Ellen had no-one there to lend support at times when she would have thought she was at the end of her ability and to come through that with the new record is something that she can be uniquely proud of. She’s done a tremendous job and my deepest admiration goes to her.”

Oryx Quest 2005 takes a different route around the world to that of MacArthur. It is the first sailing race to start and finish in the Middle East. The four boats are now pushing south, skirting the edge of a high pressure system in the Indian Ocean and, after four days at sea, are all still very closely matched. Doha 2006 has retaken the lead from the all-French crew on Geronimo in a continuing match-race, while David Scully’s Cheyenne has closed to within one nautical mile of the leading pair. The smallest of the boats, Daedalus, is a short way back in fourth.

Race positions at 11.00 (GMT) Wednesday 9th February 2004:

1. Doha 2006

2. Geronimo 3. Cheyenne 4. Daedalus