Sailing: MacArthur sets off on round-the-world speed bid

Ellen MacArthur and her 13–man crew set off yesterday to try to win the Jules Verne trophy by setting a new speed record for sailing around the world.

The Kingfisher 2 giant catamaran crossed the start line, between France's Ile d'Ouessant and Britain's Lizard Point, at 6:48 GMT, the team's sponsor said.

The race will take the boat past South Africa's Cape of Good Hope, Australia's Cape Leeuwin and South America's Cape Horn.

MacArthur, 26, is trying to break the record held since last year by French sailor Bruno Peyron: 64 days, 8 hours, 37 minutes and 24 seconds.

MacArthur had initially planned to set off Tuesday, but a problem with the catamaran's mast track delayed the departure. The team went to Plymouth to make repairs, with fellow yachtswoman Tracy Edwards supplying a replacement piece from the Maiden 2 racer.

"There is real relief onboard," MacArthur said on her Web site. "It hasn't been the most ideal way to start."

But "the boat and crew are at 100 percent, and were ready to take this big challenge on," she said.

The Kingfisher 2 would need to cross the finish line before mid–afternoon on April 4 to break Peyron's record.