[Bella]

She had already passed the finishing line earlier in the morning, Woodstock, The people on the board were part of her land crew who got on board when she passed the finishing line and then they sailed to Falmouth. She did do the whole thing on her own.

This is taken from Ellen's website and pretty much sums up why this is such an acheivement for her:

WHY IS THIS RECORD SO EXCEPTIONAL...

• 1800+ people have reached the summit of Everest...*

• 450+ people have been in space...**

• 12 astronauts have stepped on the moon...**

• Only 5 solo sailors have attempted to race around the globe non-stop on multihulls (the fastest and most extreme boats on the oceans) in pursuit of a new world record...

• Only 1 sailor succeeded to go the distance non-stop...

And now Ellen has made it two and done it in faster time.

[The Censor]

I haven't posted here for a while, although I have been checking in now and again. I have to comment
Reading what has been said here about this achievement tells me 100% that this is a British Board. We get a loser and they are applauded, told they did well, get hugged, blessed and damwell sainted.
But a winner?? Oh no, that really isn't cricket, we can't have one of them, something wrong with that, let's put them back down where they so obviously belong, in the gutter.
No wonder the rest of the world has adopted calling us Whinging Poms. For heavens sake be thankful for a bit of bright news, that this tiny slip of a woman has physically and mentally worked herself to exhaustion for 71 days, and that she can fly the Union Flag, and most of all that she kept Blair, Bush, the Middle East etc off the news channels for a day.

Originally Posted by The Censor

I haven't posted here for a while, although I have been checking in now and again. I have to comment
Reading what has been said here about this achievement tells me 100% that this is a British Board. We get a loser and they are applauded, told they did well, get hugged, blessed and damwell sainted.
But a winner?? Oh no, that really isn't cricket, we can't have one of them, something wrong with that, let's put them back down where they so obviously belong, in the gutter.
No wonder the rest of the world has adopted calling us Whinging Poms. For heavens sake be thankful for a bit of bright news, that this tiny slip of a woman has physically and mentally worked herself to exhaustion for 71 days, and that she can fly the Union Flag, and most of all that she kept Blair, Bush, the Middle East etc off the news channels for a day.

I can see what you are saying Censor, but, to be honest, I'd have been apathetic whatever nationality she had been! I do see this as an achievement, but it's a personal one for Ellen, that has NO impact on me whatsoever. I didn't have anything to do with her success so I see no reason or justification for me to bask in her reflected glory just because we happen to have been born in the same country!

She did it for herself, in order to break a record, and good on her if that's what she wants to do, I just don't see it as a cause for national pride, that's all

[Isis]

Originally Posted by Voice of reason

I can see what you are saying Censor, but, to be honest, I'd have been apathetic whatever nationality she had been! I do see this as an achievement, but it's a personal one for Ellen, that has NO impact on me whatsoever. I didn't have anything to do with her success so I see no reason or justification for me to bask in her reflected glory just because we happen to have been born in the same country!

She did it for herself, in order to break a record, and good on her if that's what she wants to do, I just don't see it as a cause for national pride, that's all

Im of the same view Voicey........to me it is once more about "man" (as a race) trying to conquer nature and I dont see the point to it all - the money that has been spent could have been put to far better use in my opinion......

When I saw on the news the other night that she was going to break the record, I just thought to myself "big fat hairy deal"..........so what?!?!?! She hasnt saved someones life, she hasnt invented a cure for cancer, YES she has achieved her personal goals and targets - but like Voiceys says - it doesnt affect ME and mine does it..........and if that makes me a whinging pom then so be it

[The Censor]

OK, I get where you are coming from. So, neither of you support football, they do it for themselves. Singers? Oh yes, they just want to earn loads of money. Actors - same. Tennis, never get excited about that either? I could go on and on, but I bet you support them in their earning capacity. Ellen worked her socks off to buy her first boat, then fought every inch of the way to get her sponsorship, she wasn't born some rich kid by any means. I have even seen other forums (not this one) decrying her as 'Just a Dyke' - I am lost for words at how nasty and evil we are to winners - we ultimately destroy them.

I just hope that no kids read this who have an ounce of ambition, no wonder we are an apathetic nation.

[christine]

I agree with most of the posts on here, I can appreciate what Ellen has done for herself, but I cannot muster any excitement personally from it. Ok its a real achievement for her as she battled on the sea, but as has been mentioned before, she did it for herself therefore why should it affect me one way or the other.

Fiona Phillips [GMTV] was saying that she was seated next to Ellen at some charity meal and ALL Ellen talked about was sailing. Fiona gave the impression that Ellen is so determined and dedicated [as you would have to be] that she has no space in her life for anything else, even for idle chit chat. If, like Fiona, you are not interested in sailing, you must think you have drawn the short straw being stuck next to her.

[christine]

Originally Posted by The Censor

OK, I get where you are coming from. So, neither of you support football, they do it for themselves. Singers? Oh yes, they just want to earn loads of money. Actors - same. Tennis, never get excited about that either? I could go on and on, but I bet you support them in their earning capacity. Ellen worked her socks off to buy her first boat, then fought every inch of the way to get her sponsorship, she wasn't born some rich kid by any means. I have even seen other forums (not this one) decrying her as 'Just a Dyke' - I am lost for words at how nasty and evil we are to winners - we ultimately destroy them.

I just hope that no kids read this who have an ounce of ambition, no wonder we are an apathetic nation.

You can't enjoy every sport etc, some you have an empathy/ interest in and others you don't. I am not a footie fan, but I love Rugby - it doesn't make me a bad person, I can't even explain why I am attracted to one and not the other. It is part of the great differences between people which I for one applaud. I think Britain is great, and my not getting over excited about Ellen does nothing to diminish this. In fact its part of the reason I love it here, I can't stand all the banner waving etc you get in other countries like USA.

[Isis]

Originally Posted by The Censor

OK, I get where you are coming from. So, neither of you support football, they do it for themselves. Singers? Oh yes, they just want to earn loads of money. Actors - same. Tennis, never get excited about that either? I could go on and on, but I bet you support them in their earning capacity. Ellen worked her socks off to buy her first boat, then fought every inch of the way to get her sponsorship, she wasn't born some rich kid by any means. I have even seen other forums (not this one) decrying her as 'Just a Dyke' - I am lost for words at how nasty and evil we are to winners - we ultimately destroy them.

I just hope that no kids read this who have an ounce of ambition, no wonder we are an apathetic nation.

Dont even START me off on footballers and the obscene amount of money they get for kicking a ball about a pitch - and they cant even win an international game???? I think that it is high time that footballers got paid in accordance to what they win - I bet we would win a world cup if their wages depended on it!!!!

Singers - well thats different slightly, I DO get enjoyment from their work, I have always said I could live without TV and Books but not music!

As for Ellen personally - good on her - she HAS achieved her goals, but it doesnt "float my boat" if you get what I mean.......it has no effect whatsoever on my life, so I cant get excited about it........I think the name calling towards her is disgusting, she doesnt deserve that at all...

As for kids and ambition, errrr, I think you will find that the "right on" Labour Party have put the kybosh on that - with their "right on" approach to there being "no losers"....no more competitive sports in schools incase little Jonny is labelled a failure....poppycock - WE are all responsible for what WE want to achieve - if you work hard you reap the benefits, sit on your ass and you get jack s**t.......but nowaydays kids seem to think that they should get it all handed on a plate........

[Bella]

Originally Posted by Queeenie

Dont even START me off on footballers and the obscene amount of money they get for kicking a ball about a pitch - and they cant even win an international game???? I think that it is high time that footballers got paid in accordance to what they win - I bet we would win a world cup if their wages depended on it!!!!

As for kids and ambition, errrr, I think you will find that the "right on" Labour Party have put the kybosh on that - with their "right on" approach to there being "no losers"....no more competitive sports in schools incase little Jonny is labelled a failure....poppycock - WE are all responsible for what WE want to achieve - if you work hard you reap the benefits, sit on your ass and you get jack s**t.......but nowaydays kids seem to think that they should get it all handed on a plate........

Sad but so very true, Queenie.

To be honest though, I would rather my kids got some inspiration from someone like Ellen McArthur or others like her than some jacksh8t footballing nobody who seems to think it is his divine right to get paid £30k a week!!! Yeah, ok she maybe boring, and all she talks about is her sailing, but at least she has gone out there and done something about it and acheived her goal. I am sick of hearing footballers, politicans making us promises that are never delivered. And I have sat next to a few "dedicated" football fans at dinners, weddings etc and by God if Fiona Phillips thought Ellen McArthur was boring then she should thank her lucky stars she wasn't sat next to some football nerd!

I am not a sailing fan, but people like Ellen McArthur, Ben Ainsley and Shirley Robertson have raised the profile and if it shows inspiration to even a handful of youngsters to take up the sport, then good on them. As I have said I would rather they held a sportman/woman who has acheived their goal in high regard than some pill-taking junkie popstar or some pill-taking footballer, for that matter!!!

That said and as much as I do admire Ellen I won't be watching the TV programme tonight as it clashes with Desperate Housewifes!!!!

[Flip]

Queenie if anyone starts on about football I will be there with bells on - I would rather sail round the world twice on limited rations and no lusty pirates for company than watch a footie game - regardless of which country they come from.

I am delighted for Ellen and her crew and her sponsers and Great Britain - that we have motivated and dedicated people willing to forgo a 'normal' life to achieve great things. And go down in history for the genuine amazing person she is. But to achieve such an amazing record, she will have had to compromise on other things, friendships, family, children, - and in her own words she prefers the sea as company. Her philosophy reminds me very much of Alan Hinks [the climber - who is also very single minded about his passion].

I do know what Censor is saying, we are like that in Gt Britain, we tend to favour the underdog, or we are seen to favour the underdog. It is more British to not show national pride - it is almost vulgar [that is not me saying that btw - just my thoughts on the GBP as a whole]. I see the Americans being as proud as punch that they are American and that their fellow countrymen win things - they go ape!! Which is fascinating - I just wonder whether in the UK we sort of look at them and think 'hmm very brash and OTT'? I don't know? Just a few thoughts.