Ellen MacArthur lined up for her latest race yesterday.
She was on the start line off the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes for the beginning of the Cowes-St Malo race.
Her crew includes two Frenchmen boat captain Loik Gallon and Offshore Challenges Sailing Team shore crew Erwan le Meilleur and a Canadian (Sebastian Chenier-Proteau) plus her business partner and Offshore Challenges Group CEO, Mark Turner.
Turner's presence marks the significance of the occasion, the last competitive race for MacArthur, pictured, and her crew onboard the world record-breaking 75ft trimaran B&Q.
MacArthur's new sailing project will be heading up a new two-boat Open 60 team to compete in the IMOCA World Championship circuit in 2007-09.
The title sponsorship with B&Q finishes soon and the team are in discussions with potential new title sponsors The Cowes-St Malo event is celebrating its 100th anniversary and more than 200 boats are competing, from classic yachts to speed machines.
The 164-mile race was scheduled to finish in time for the Bastille Day celebrations today.
The course record of five hours, 23 minutes 33 seconds belongs to the crew of the Maxi catamaran Maiden 2 skippered by Brian Thompson in 2002.
The B&Q trimaran will head back to the UK in late July to sail with guests throughout Skandia Cowes Week in August.
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