It was a day of celebration and tears for Solent yachtswoman Ellen Macarthur who, only hours ago in Auckland, saw her brand new racing boat Kingfisher launched under a splash of fireworks and a sea of champagne.

The remarkable 23-year-old from Cowes claimed it as the most exciting day of her life as she climbed the mast to demolish one bottle of bubbly then invited Lady Pippa Blake, the wife of Kiwi yachting legend Sir Peter to start formal proceedings with a second, which was duly smashed at the bow of the gleaming new 60ft grand prix boat.

Launched in the America's Cup Basin, Kingfisher came out of the shed at Martin Marine last week and before the ceremony got under way Ellen found time to take her for her first spin, putting up the massive new sails.

"It was truly amazing," said Ellen, whose backing comes from the European retailers who own B&Q and Woolworths.

"There were a few little niggles but she handled really well and when I took the helm I really felt I had sailed her before.

"I have spent every day with her since I arrived in Auckland and I feel very close to her. It has been very emotional watching as she has grown and grown from being a few lines on a piece of paper to when she was first put in the water. I felt then that she was in the right place, she was free."

At eight tons the boat is a lightweight thoroughbred and for Ellen, who stands at a mere 5ft 3in, the task of sailing her around the world single-handed in the Vendee Globe, starting later this year, poses no more special problems than those Macarthur's beefier male counterparts are likely to encounter on the gruelling tracks across the seas.

Isolation for weeks at a time could be the hardest part though Ellen, who started her sailing career by taking her beloved 20ft yacht Corrobee round Britain at the age of 17, had a taste of solo sailing when she spent 23 days at sea in the Mini-Transat two years ago.

In the Vendee, she will be spending 100 days on her own and, although Kingfisher will be specially rigged for single-handed racing, the challenges presented by the weather and the boat itself are bound to take their toll.

"I know it is a massive undertaking. I know I will have to cope with everything that happens when I am at sea. Anything can happen - there are a mixture of elements to consider and all sorts of things will be hard to cope with but I never think about how much easier it might be if I were bigger or stronger. I just have to get on with it," she said.

Ellen will be the youngest and only British female among 20 international skippers who also include Southampton's Mike Golding and Team Group 4.

After a month of trials in Auckland Harbour, Ellen will set off with a crew and head for the Falkland Islands where she will offload her team and continue single-handed. She will take around a month to sail back to the Solent arriving Mid-May having experienced the extremes of weather and conditions along the way.

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