Ellen MacArthur - Around the world

Post by **PaulH** » Fri Feb 11, 2005 2:24 am

I would like to congratulate Ellen on breaking the world record for yachting around the world. Now try it without a backup team, sponsorship, GPS navigation, auto pilot, internet and email, etc and etc.

Don't get me wrong, its an impressive physical test. But I can't help but feel slightly underwhelmed by it all.

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Fri Feb 11, 2005 8:48 am

My manager was compalinign abotu comments liek this, as he had seen the footage of inside the boat - seemed liek an exhausting mental and physical challenge to me, including the fact she had to do sopme very nifty thinking on this like generators, etc

Same with 'Long Way Around' with Ewan McGregor - they had all that, still bloody impressive with scary ,oments when they biked around the world : )

Post by **Gambit37** » Fri Feb 11, 2005 9:55 am

You can only compete in the time in which you live. Technology moves on and anyone would be stupid not to use it. While the feat may seem less impressive compared to previous attempts, especially the first by Robn Knox-Johnston who did not have the benefit of all that stuff, I think it is still a major undertaking and one that is much more a character test than anything else. I think she would have managed just as well without all the backup because she is such a determined person.

Post by **PaulH** » Fri Feb 11, 2005 6:15 pm

As I said it was an impressive physical undertaking: however having something that automatically steers the boat is one step to far. And you are hardly alone when you have the internet at your disposal. What next? Robots that control the sails?!

Yes, you can only compete in the age of the technology you have, but lines have to be drawn somewhere, especially with challenges like 'around the world solo'.