Editing Ellen MacArthur

{{short description|Long-distance yachtswoman}}
{{for|the economic historian|Ellen McArthur}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = Dame
| name          = Ellen MacArthur
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|DBE|size=100%}}
| image         = Ellen-McArthur (1).jpg
| alt           = Ellen MacArthur in 2010
| image_size    =
| caption       = MacArthur in 2010
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1976|7|8}}
| birth_place   = [[Whatstandwell]], Derbyshire, England
| death_date    =
| death_place   =
| occupation    = Sailor and charity founder
| known_for     = Previous holder of fastest solo [[circumnavigation]] of the [[Earth|globe]] in a yacht
| title         =
| children      =
| spouse        =
| networth      =
| website       = {{URL|ellenmacarthur.com}}
}}

'''Dame Ellen Patricia MacArthur''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|DBE}} (born 8 July 1976) is an English retired sailor and charity founder. MacArthur is a successful solo long-distance [[sailor|yachtswoman]] – on 7 February 2005, she broke the [[Around the world sailing record|world record for the fastest solo circumnavigation of the globe]], a feat which gained her international renown.<ref name="Live">{{cite web |url=https://news.yahoo.com/8-unsung-women-explorers-180658286.html |title=8 Unsung Women Explorers |publisher=LiveScience.com |date=30 April 2012 |access-date=30 April 2012}}</ref> [[Francis Joyon]], the Frenchman who had held the record before MacArthur, was able to recover the record again in early 2008.<ref name=bbc7198647>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/sailing/7198647.stm |title=report of MacArthur congratulating Joyon on beating her record |work=BBC News |date=20 January 2008 |access-date=28 October 2009}}</ref> Following her retirement from professional sailing on 2 September 2010, MacArthur announced the launch of the [[Ellen MacArthur Foundation]], a charity that works with business and education to accelerate the transition to a [[circular economy]].

She once held the top spot on the UK [[Top Gear (2002 TV series)|''Top Gear'']] show for fastest star in a reasonably priced car.

== Early life ==
{{BLP primary sources|date=June 2021}}
MacArthur was born in [[Whatstandwell]] near [[Matlock, Derbyshire|Matlock]] in [[Derbyshire]]<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ellen-MacArthur|title= Dame Ellen MacArthur|date= 4 July 2024}}</ref> where she lived with her parents, who were both teachers, and two brothers Fergus, still in Whatstandwell, and Lewis, who now lives in [[Pennsylvania]]. She acquired her early interest in sailing, firstly by her desire to emulate her idol at the time, Sophie Burke,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.speakersassociates.com/speaker/ellen-macarthur|title=Ellen MacArthur|first=Speakers Associates|last=Ltd|date=1 November 2016|website=Speakers Associates|access-date=18 October 2018}}</ref> and secondly by reading [[Arthur Ransome]]'s ''[[Swallows and Amazons series]]'' of books. She has since become the Patron of the Nancy Blackett Trust<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nancyblackett.org/ |title=The Nancy Blackett Trust&nbsp;– Arthur Ransome's Nancy Blackett |publisher=Nancyblackett.org |access-date=28 October 2009}}</ref> which owns and operates Ransome's yacht, ''[[Nancy Blackett (cutter)|Nancy Blackett]]''.

Her first experience of sailing was on a boat owned by her aunt Thea MacArthur on the east coast of England. She saved her school dinner money for three years to buy her first boat, an eight-foot dinghy, which she named ''[[Threepence (British coin)|Threp'ny Bit]]'' even though [[decimalisation]] had taken place before she was born.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Decimalisation-in-Britain/ |title=Decimalisation in Britain |website=historic-uk.com}}</ref> She sellotaped a real 'threepenny bit' coin onto the bow.

MacArthur attended [[Wirksworth]] County Infants and Junior Schools and the [[Anthony Gell School]] and also worked at a sailing school in [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]].{{citation needed|date=January 2021}} When she was 17, MacArthur bought a [[Corribee]] and named it ''Iduna''; she described the first moment she saw it as "love at first sight".{{citation needed|date=January 2021}} In 1995 she sailed ''Iduna'' single-handed on a circumnavigation of Great Britain.

In 1997, she finished 17th in the [[Mini Transat]] solo transatlantic race after fitting out her 21&nbsp;ft (6.4&nbsp;m) [[Classe Mini]] yacht ''Le Poisson'' herself while living in a French boatyard.

She was named 1998 [[British Telecom]]/[[Royal Yachting Association]] "Yachtsman of The Year" in the UK and "Sailing's Young Hope" in France.

[[Asteroid]] [[20043 Ellenmacarthur]] is named after her.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ipa.nw.ru/PAGE/DEPFUND/LSBSS/ALF/21.htm |title=List of asteroid namings (Archived copy) |website=ipa.nw.ru |access-date=19 March 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006073002/http://www.ipa.nw.ru/PAGE/DEPFUND/LSBSS/ALF/21.htm |archive-date=6 October 2008  }} (now moved to http://www.ipa.nw.ru/PAGE/FUNDAMENTAL/LSBSS/englenam.htm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118050914/http://www.ipa.nw.ru/PAGE/FUNDAMENTAL/LSBSS/englenam.htm |date=18 January 2017 }})</ref>

== Professional sailing career ==
MacArthur first came to general prominence in 2001 when she finished second in the [[Vendée Globe]] solo round-the-world sailing race in her Owen Clarke/Rob Humphreys designed ''Kingfisher'' (named after her sponsors, [[Kingfisher plc]]), and subsequently MacArthur was appointed a [[Member of the Order of the British Empire]] (MBE) for services to sport. At 24, she was the youngest competitor to complete the voyage.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/sailing/7966301/Ellen-MacArthur-I-cant-live-with-the-sea-any-more.html |title=Ellen MacArthur: 'I can't live with the sea any more' |last=Grice |first=Elizabeth |date=21 August 2010 |access-date=6 March 2015 |newspaper=The Telegraph}}</ref>

In 2003, she captained a round-the-world record attempt for a crewed yacht in [[Kingfisher 2]] (a catamaran formerly owned by [[Bruno Peyron]] and known as ''Orange''), but was thwarted by a broken mast in the [[Southern Ocean]].

[[File:Ellen Macarthur arriving in Falmouth - geograph.org.uk - 706962.jpg|thumb|Ellen MacArthur on her arrival in 2005]]
A trimaran named ''[[B&Q]]/[[Castorama]]'' (after two companies in the Kingfisher group) unveiled in January 2004, was specially designed by [[Nigel Irens]] and Benoit Cabaret for her to break solo records. The 75-foot (23&nbsp;m) [[trimaran]] was built in Australia, with many of the components specifically arranged to take into account MacArthur's 5-foot 2&nbsp;inch (1.57 m) height. {{Original research inline|date=June 2021}}

Using the yacht, her first significant record attempt in 2004 to break the west–east [[Transatlantic sailing record|transatlantic crossing]] time failed by around one and a quarter hours, after over seven days of sailing.

She began her attempt to break the solo record for sailing non-stop around the world on 28 November 2004. During her circumnavigation, she set records for the fastest solo voyage to the [[equator]], past the [[Cape of Good Hope]], past [[Cape Horn]] and back to the equator again.  She crossed the finishing line near the French coast at [[Ushant]] at 22:29 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] on 7 February 2005 beating the previous record set by French sailor [[Francis Joyon]] by 1 day, 8 hours, 35 minutes, 49 seconds. Her time of 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes 33 seconds is world record for the {{convert|27354|nmi|km}} covered.  This is an average speed of {{convert|15.9|kn|km/h}}.

On 8 February 2005, following her return to England, it was announced that she was to be made a [[Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] (DBE) for services to sailing.<ref name=LG>{{London Gazette
| issue=57557
|page=1713
| date=11 February 2005
}}</ref> She was the youngest person to ever receive this honour at the age of 28.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.sky.com/story/new-year-honours-captain-tobias-weller-11-celebrates-becoming-youngest-recipient-12506949 |title=New Year Honours: 'Captain' Tobias Weller, 11, celebrates becoming youngest recipient |date=1 January 2022 |access-date=9 July 2024 |publisher=Sky News}}</ref> Coming immediately after the event being recognised, rather than appearing in due course in the New Year's or Birthday [[British honours system|Honours lists]], this recognition was reminiscent of [[accolade]]s previously bestowed upon [[Francis Drake]] and [[Francis Chichester]] when reaching home shores after their respective circumnavigations in [[Francis Drake's circumnavigation|1580]] and 1967. MacArthur was also granted the rank of [[Title of honor|Honorary]] [[Lieutenant Commander]], [[Royal Naval Reserve]] on the same day.

In recognition of her achievement she was appointed a Knight (Chevalier) of the French [[Legion of Honour]] by President [[Nicolas Sarkozy]] in March 2008. She is a fluent French speaker.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/18/wfra118.xml |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |title=Nicolas Sarkozy to honour Ellen MacArthur |first=Henry |last=Samuel |date=18 March 2008 |access-date=1 May 2010}}{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

In 2007 MacArthur headed up BT Team Ellen, a three-person sailing team which includes Australian [[Nick Moloney]] and Frenchman [[Sébastien Josse]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.teamellen.com/ |title=Team Ellen |publisher=Team Ellen |access-date=28 October 2009}}</ref>

In October 2009 MacArthur announced her intention to retire from competitive racing to concentrate on the subject of resource and energy use in the global economy.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8289226.stm |title=Yachtswoman Dame Ellen to retire |work=BBC News |date=4 October 2009 |access-date=28 October 2009}}</ref>

== Sailing records ==
In June 2000, MacArthur sailed the monohull ''Kingfisher'' from [[Plymouth]], UK to [[Newport, Rhode Island]], USA in 14 days, 23 hours, 11 minutes.  This is the current record for a [[single-handed sailing|single-handed]] woman monohull east-to-west passage, and also the record for a single-handed woman in any vessel.<ref>[http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/index.php/ratified-passage ''WSSRC Ratified Passage Records'']&nbsp;– "Transatlantic E to W, Plymouth&nbsp;– Newport, monohull and woman any vessel", from the [[World Sailing Speed Record Council]]</ref>

MacArthur's second place in the [[2000–01 Vendée Globe|2000–2001]] edition of the [[Vendée Globe]], with a time of 94 days, 4 hours and 25 minutes, was the world record for a single-handed, non-stop, monohull circumnavigation by a woman.<ref>[http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/ratified.html ''WSSRC Ratified Passage Records''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060106000300/http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/ratified.html |date=6 January 2006 }}&nbsp;– "Round the World, non-stop, singlehanded, woman, Vendée Globe", from the [[World Sailing Speed Record Council]]</ref> The record stood for 20 years until [[Clarisse Crémer]] beat it in 2020–2021 edition of the Vendée Globe.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/22110/clarisse-cremer-finishes-12th-in-the-vendee-globe |title = News – Clarisse Cremer (Banque Populaire X) finishes 12th, breaks female solo monohull round the world record |lang=en |website=vendeeglobe.org}}</ref>

In June 2004, MacArthur sailed her trimaran ''B&Q/Castorama'' from [[Ambrose Light]], Lower New York Bay, USA to [[Lizard Point, Cornwall]], UK in 7 days, 3 hours, 50 minutes.  This set a new world record for a transatlantic crossing by women, beating the previous crewed record as well as the singlehanded version.<ref>[http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/ratified.html ''WSSRC Ratified Passage Records''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060106000300/http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/ratified.html |date=6 January 2006 }}&nbsp;– "Transatlantic W to E outright women, and singlehanded woman", from the [[World Sailing Speed Record Council]]</ref>

In 2005, MacArthur beat Francis Joyon's existing [[Around the world sailing record|world record for a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation]].  MacArthur in the trimaran ''B&Q/Castorama'' sailed {{convert|27354|nmi|km|0}} at an average speed of 15.9 [[knot (unit)|knots]].<ref>[http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/ratified.html ''WSSRC Ratified Passage Records''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060106000300/http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/ratified.html |date=6 January 2006 }}&nbsp;–www.sailspeedrecords.com "Round the World, non-stop, singlehanded", from the [[World Sailing Speed Record Council]]</ref> Her time of 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes 33 seconds beat Joyon's then world record time by 1 day, 8 hours, 35 minutes and 49 seconds. She had no more than 20 minutes' sleep at a time during the voyage, having to be on constant lookout day and night. On 23 November 2007 Joyon set off in ''[[IDEC 2]]'' in an attempt to beat MacArthur's current world record for a single handed circumnavigation. He achieved his goal in 57 days, 13 hours 34 minutes and 6 seconds.<ref name=bbc7198647 /> Despite Joyon's reclamation of the record, [[Robin Knox-Johnston]] still described MacArthur's time as an "amazing achievement".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/sailing/4245577.stm |title=Britain welcomes Dame Ellen home |work=BBC News |date=8 February 2005 |access-date=28 October 2009}}</ref>

Her boat, now named USE IT AGAIN is skippered by French professional sailor, Romain Pilliard.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yachtingworld.com/news/worlds-toughest-sailing-record-new-bid-announced-132062   |title=World's toughest sailing record: New bid announced |website= yachtingworld.com |date=8 June 2021 |access-date=4 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.boatsnews.com/story/35071/romain-pilliards-use-it-again-trimaran-a-symbol-of-the-circular-economy |title=Romain Pilliard's USE IT AGAIN Trimaran: a symbol of the circular economy  |website=boatsnews.com |date=29 October 2020 |access-date=4 July 2023}}</ref>

== Popular culture ==
In 2009 MacArthur appeared on BBC Radio 4's ''[[Desert Island Discs]]''. Her chosen book was ''[[The SAS Survival Handbook]]'' by [[Lofty Wiseman|John "Lofty" Wiseman]] and her luxury item was a fluffy worm mascot.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00mz6jq|title=BBC Radio 4 – Desert Island Discs, Dame Ellen MacArthur |publisher=BBC |language=en-GB|access-date=9 March 2020}}</ref>

MacArthur was also the last record holder on [[Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car]] on the BBC's ''[[Top Gear (current format)|Top Gear]]'' television driving programme until the eighth series, when the car and rules were changed, and previous records were removed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/show/liana_laps.shtml |title=Old Top Gear Celebrity Laps |publisher=BBC |date=20 October 2008 |access-date=28 October 2009}}</ref> The competition was a timed lap of a racetrack in a [[Suzuki Liana]]. She completed the lap in 1 minute 46.7 seconds, beating [[Jimmy Carr]] by 0.2 seconds. MacArthur won ''[[Top Gear (2002 TV series)|Top Gear]]'''s Fastest Driver of the Year award in 2005.

She also took part in 2011 TV series ''[[Jamie's Dream School]]''.

There is a display about MacArthur at the Wirksworth Heritage Centre, Derbyshire.

==Books==
In 2002, MacArthur released her first autobiography entitled ''Taking on the World''. Later she wrote ''Race Against Time'', published in 2005, a day-by-day account of her record journey around the world. In September 2010, she published a second autobiography entitled ''Full Circle''.

==Charities==

===Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust===
{{main|Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust}}
In 2003, MacArthur set up the Ellen MacArthur Trust (now the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust), a registered charity, to 8 to 24-year olds sailing to help them regain their confidence while recovering from cancer, leukaemia and other serious illnesses.<ref>{{EW charity|1096491|The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust}}</ref>

In 2008 MacArthur joined other sports celebrities to raise £4&nbsp;million for the Rainbows children's hospice. The aim is to give terminally ill young people their own customised sleeping unit to enable children in separate age groups to have their families stay with them.<ref>[http://www.cafonline.org/default.aspx?page=15107&WT.mc_id=15 "Ellen MacArthur in Charity Appeal"], ''[[Charities Aid Foundation]]'', 7 February 2008. Retrieved 11 February 2005.</ref>

===Ellen MacArthur Foundation===
[[File:Explaining the Circular Economy and How Society Can Re-think Progress - Animated Video Essay.webm|thumb|A 2011 Ellen MacArthur Foundation video essay explaining the [[circular economy]] concept]] 
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) is a UK [[Charitable organization#Registration|registered charity]]<ref name="Charity Commission">{{EW charity|1130306}}</ref> which promotes the idea of a [[circular economy]]. It does this by developing and promoting the concept of a circular economy, working with business, policy makers and academics.

Founded on 23 June 2009, the foundation was publicly launched on 2 September 2010 by MacArthur at the [[Science Museum (London)|Science Museum]].<ref name="scotsman">{{cite news|url=http://news.scotsman.com/features/Interview-Ellen-MacArthur--Voyage.6507856.jp|title=Interview: Ellen MacArthur – Voyage of self-discovery|work=[[The Scotsman]]|access-date=12 April 2011|location=Edinburgh|date=1 September 2010}}</ref> The charity was inspired by MacArthur's sailing experiences.<ref name="scotsman" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/around-yorkshire/local-stories/top_yachtswoman_ellen_teams_up_with_university_to_promote_sustainable_living_1_3026996|title=Top yachtswoman Ellen teams up with university to promote sustainable living |work=[[Yorkshire Post]]|access-date=12 April 2011}}</ref>

On 17 May 2017, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince of Wales']] [[The Prince of Wales's Charitable Foundation|International Sustainability Unit]] launched a US$2&nbsp;million prize fund for innovations which work towards the management of [[waste plastics]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2017/05/18/prince-wales-plastic-worlds-oceans-growing-human-disaster/|title=Prince of Wales: plastic in world's oceans is a 'growing human disaster'|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=18 May 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/05/plastic-waste-is-taking-over-the-oceans-here-s-how-to-stop-it|title=A new $2 million prize to stop plastic waste taking over the oceans|publisher=[[World Economic Forum]]|date=18 May 2017}}</ref>

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation is a founding member and partner of the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE), which was launched out of the [[World Economic Forum]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sdg.iisd.org/news/wef-launches-public-private-platform-on-circular-economy/|title = WEF Launches Public-Private Platform on Circular Economy &#124; IISD |website=sdg.iisd.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.weforum.org/projects/circular-economy|title = Circular Economy |website=weforum.org}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Ellen MacArthur}}
* [http://www.ellenmacarthur.com/ Official website of Dame Ellen MacArthur]
* {{TED speaker|2=Dame Ellen MacArthur}}
* [https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/ Ellen MacArthur Foundation]
* [https://www.wirksworthheritage.co.uk/ Wirksworth Heritage Centre]

{{ISAF World Sailor of the Year (female)}}
{{Laureus World Sports Award for Action Sportsperson of the Year}}
{{Princess of Asturias Award for International Cooperation}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Macarthur, Ellen}}
[[Category:1976 births]]
[[Category:2000 Vendee Globe sailors]]
[[Category:British Vendee Globe sailors]]
[[Category:Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:English explorers]]
[[Category:English female sailors (sport)]]
[[Category:English sailors]]
[[Category:Female explorers]]
[[Category:Founders of charities]]
[[Category:ISAF World Sailor of the Year (female)]]
[[Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour]]
[[Category:Laureus World Sports Awards winners]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Amber Valley]]
[[Category:People from Cowes]]
[[Category:Royal Naval Reserve personnel]]
[[Category:Single-handed circumnavigating sailors]]
[[Category:Sportspeople awarded damehoods]]
[[Category:The Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year winners]]
[[Category:Vendée Globe finishers]]