Ellen first hit the headlines in 2001 for single-handedly sailing around the world in the Vendée Globe race. In 2005 she broke the world record for the fastest solo circumnavigation of the globe, a feat which cemented her international reputation as a fearsome competitor and uniquely talented sportswoman.
After Ellen saved her school dinner money to buy her first boat and sailed single-handed round Britain, she went to France, bought a small yacht, learnt French and raced it single-handed across the Atlantic. The sailing world was impressed, and soon she was racing a 50ft Kingfisher in the 1998 Route du Rhum transatlantic race, winning her class.
Before becoming a household name in Britain, Ellen was a heroine in France. There, she’s known as 'La Jeune Espoire de la Voile' or ‘sailing's young hope’, and was recently awarded the prestigious Legion d'Honneur. We Brits caught on though, and in 2005 she was named Dame Ellen.
Whether as plain Ellen, Ellen MacArthur MBE or Dame Ellen, her achievements are phenomenal. She’s held five ratified speed records, including her 2005 solo round-the-world record of 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds (only broken recently by Francis Joyon).
Through her work as an Ambassador for BT's corporate social responsibility projects, she has drawn attention to issues that affect people across the globe - working to ensure all young people have a voice and develop their communication skills to reach their full potential and achieve their life goals. In 2003, Ellen set up the Ellen MacArthur Trust to take young people aged between 8-18 sailing to help them regain their confidence on their way to recovery from cancer, leukemia and other serious illness.
Ellen is a phenomenal Ambassador for BT and an inspiration to everyone around her, and we are delighted to be associated with one of the greats of world sport.
