Sailing: MacArthur frustrated by light breeze

The final miles to the Equator were proving hard going for Ellen MacArthur and her crew yesterday afternoon. Though only 42 nautical miles from the Equator at 4.0pm, Kingfisher 2 was making slow progress in a light breeze.

Frustrated by the lack of wind and the 29-degree water temperature, at this speed it will take Ellen and her crew another 15 hours before crossing into the Southern Hemisphere.

Olivier Kersauson, who set off in Geronimo nearly three weeks ahead of MacArthur, on 11 January, set a record from Ushant, where Jules Verne Trophy record attempts begin, to the Equator of six days, 11 hours, 26 minutes and 21 seconds. That was already beyond Kingfisher 2 yesterday.

Kingfisher 2 started their Jules Verne record attempt on 30 January. To beat the existing Orange record MacArthur's crew must finish one second before 15:25:13 GMT on 4 April, or less if Geronimo lowers the record.

* A recurrent hip injury has forced the grinder Christian Karcher to withdraw from the Alinghi crew for their America's Cup finals match against Team New Zealand. Karcher, 42 and the veteran of three Cups, was on crutches at the Swiss team Alinghi's base yesterday, 10 days before the start of the best-of-nine series.