Sailing: MacArthur unhindered by Ravussin's capsized craft

While Ellen MacArthur was holding her lead in the monohull category of the Route du Rhum transatlantic single-handed race, the leader of the multihull category was forced to retire after capsizing in a vicious squall on Tuesday night.

The Swiss skipper Steve Ravussin on TechnoMarine became the 15th retirement out of the 18 trimarans that started the race in St Malo.

In fact, MacArthur, on board Kingfisher, passed within 1.2 miles of TechnoMarine, but the race organisers repeatedly confirmed to the Team Kingfisher Mission Control that it was not necessary for her to break off and pick him up. Despite their proximity MacArthur did not see the upturned trimaran.

She wrote in an email to shore: "Yesterday I was thinking about him – thinking go for it, you're doing so well, so far ahead – and then this happens, poor guy, really feel for him."

Ravussin's own team were due to set off from Guadaloupe yesterday in an attempt to pick him up and save the boat. The journey was scheduled to last three days, with Ravussin surviving inside his main hull.

After his withdrawal, France's Michel Desjoyeaux took the lead in the multihulls. In her category, MacArthur was 65 nautical miles ahead of Mike Golding on Ecover.