Around the world sailing records and cool websites for them

Latitude 38 reports on 2 big (and cool) events in the sailing world. A woman who is about to set a new record for solo around the world sailing, and a team just underway who are way ahead of the record about to do the same thing (non solo). Both teams have very nice websites with tracking information and more.



From the link above for today's stories:



Orange Alert!

February 7 - The Ocean Planet



Bruno Peyron's maxi-cat Orange II continues to shred the planet at an amazing pace, already about 1,800 miles and four days ahead of Steve Fossett's absolute world record time of 58 days, 9 hours - and Orange is only two weeks into the trip! The last three days have been particularly intense, as Orange has been clocking 650 miles daily (an average speed of 27 knots). Peyron and crew should be rewarded later today with a new record time for the Ushant-Cape of Good Hope course."We'll be beginning radar watch tonight for icebergs," reports Bruno. "We'll be on the edge of the convergence zone and not far from where they may be. It's starting to get fairly cold, especially when we're doing 30-35 knots and the waves at 6C are crashing over us."



See www.maxicatamaran-orange.com for more, including updated boat positions every 15 minutes.



and this story:



Ellen Coming Down the Home Stretch - In Record Time



February 7 - Ushant, France



As we write this report at 11 a.m. PST, British singlehander Ellen MacArthur is closing in on the finish line of her solo round-the-world record attempt. And, although it would be tempting fate to declare that she will definitely break Francis Joyon's 72-day, 22-hour record, with any luck at all, she'll do just that.



At this writing, Ellen, aboard her 75-ft trimaran B&Q, is making close to 20 knots in 16 knots of breeze. The finish line, off Ushant, France, lies less than 100 miles ahead. If she crosses it within the next 43 hours, she will have set a new solo circumnavigation record and will have become only the second person to successfully circumnavigate solo nonstop aboard a multihull.



Although Ellen has had to surmount major obstacles during her 27,000-mile ordeal, such as horrendous weather and gear breakage, it is probably safe to say that her greatest challenge has been physical fatigue. Her support team reports that the 5-ft tall, 28-year-old dynamo is deeply exhausted as she comes down the home stretch, after battling frustrating winds during the past few days. One can only imagine the mental stress she is under as she drives toward the finish. Massive crowds of well-wishers are expected to greet Ellen when she arrives at Falmouth, England.



At this writing, B&Q's ETA at the finish is expected to be between 2300 tonight and 0100 local time tomorrow morning (between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. PST). Check out www.teamellen.com for up-to-the-minute coverage, and look for a wrap-up report in the March edition of Latitude 38 magazine.