Arthur Golden and Ellen MacArthur: Difference between pages

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[[Image:Ellen McArthur RdR2002.jpg|thumb|200px|Ellen MacArthur]]

'''Arthur Golden''' is the writer of the famous novel ''[[Memoirs of a Geisha]]''. He was born in in 1956 in [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]]. He was educated at [[Harvard College]] and received a degree in art history, specializing in japanese art. In 1980, he earned a M.A. in japanese history at [[Colombia University]], and also learned [[Mandarin Chinese]].After a summer in [[Beijing University]], he worked in [[Tokyo]]. When he returned to the United States, he earned a M.A. in English at [[Boston University]].He currently lives in [[Brookline, Massachusetts]] with his wife Trudy Legee, whom he married in 1982, and his two children. He is adored in the [[New England]] writing community.

'''Dame Ellen Patricia MacArthur''', [[Order of the British Empire|DBE]] (born [[July 8]], [[1976]]) is an [[England|English]] [[sailor]] from [[Whatstandwell]] near [[Matlock, England|Matlock]] in [[Derbyshire]], now based in [[Cowes]], [[Isle of Wight]]. She is best known as a solo long-distance [[Yachting|yachtswoman]] who, on [[February 7]], [[2005]], broke the world record for the fastest solo [[circumnavigation]] of the [[Earth|globe]].

== Early life ==

She acquired her early interest in [[sailing]] by reading [[Arthur Ransome|Arthur Ransome's]] ''[[Swallows and Amazons (series)|Swallows and Amazons]]'' books and is the Patron of the [http://www.nancyblackett.org/ Nancy Blackett Trust] which owns and operates Ransome's yacht, ''[[Nancy Blackett]]''. She saved her school dinner money in order to buy her first boat, a [[Topper (dinghy)]].

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

== Racing career ==

{{writer-stub}}

She first came to general prominence in [[2001]] when she came second in the [[Vendée Globe]] solo round-the-world sailing race in her boat ''Kingfisher'' (named after her sponsors, [[Kingfisher plc]]), and subsequently MacArthur was awarded an [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] for services to sport.

In [[2003]] she captained a round-the-world record attempt for a crewed yacht in ''Kingfisher 2'', but was thwarted by a broken mast in the [[Southern Ocean]].

Her latest yacht, named ''[[B&Q]]/[[Castorama]]'' (after two companies in the Kingfisher group) and unveiled in January [[2004]], was specially designed by [[Nigel Irens]] and Benoit Cabaret for her to break solo records. The 75-[[foot (unit of length)|foot]] (23-[[metre]]) [[trimaran]] was built in [[Australia]], with many of the components specifically arranged to take into account MacArthur's 5 foot 2 [[inch]] (1.57 metre) height.

Using the yacht, her first significant record attempt in [[2004]] to break the west–east 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 [[November 28]], [[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 2229 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] on [[February 7]], [[2005]] beating the previous record set by French sailor [[Francis Joyon]] by 1 day, 8 hours, 35 minutes, 49 seconds.

On her return to England on [[February 8]], [[2005]], it was announced that she was to be made a [[Dame]] Commander of the [[Order of the British Empire]] in recognition of that achievement, becoming, it is believed, the youngest ever recipient of this honour. Coming immediately as it did (rather than appearing in due course in the New Year's or Birthday [[British honours system|honours lists]]), this recognition was reminiscent of the [[knight]]hoods conferred upon [[Sir Francis Drake]] and [[Sir Francis Chichester]] upon arrival home after their respective circumnavigations in [[1580]] and [[1967]]. MacArthur was also made an honorary [[Lieutenant Commander]] of the [[Royal Naval Reserve]] on the same day.

== 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]] monohull east-to-west passage, and also the record for a single-handed woman in any vessel.{{ref|wssrc-lantwestwom}}

MacArthur's second place in the [[2000]]-[[2001]] edition of the [[Vendée Globe]], with a time of 94 days, 4 hours and 25 minutes, is the world record for a single-handed, non-stop, monohull circumnavigation by a woman.{{ref|wssrc-monowoman}}

In [[June 2004]], MacArthur sailed her trimaran ''B&Q/Castorama'' from [[Ambrose light station]], 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, remarkably beating the previous crewed record as well as the singlehanded version.{{ref|wssrc-lantwoman}}

In [[2005]], MacArthur set a new world record for a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation in the trimaran ''B&Q/Castorama'', during which she sailed 27,354 [[nautical mile]]s at an average speed of 15.9 [[knot (speed)|knot]]s. Her time of 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes 33 seconds is the fastest ever circumnavigation of the world by a single-hander.{{ref|wssrc-single}}

== Popular culture ==

MacArthur is also the current record holder on "Star In A Reasonably Priced Car" on BBC's ''[[Top Gear]]''. The competition is a timed lap of a racetrack in a family saloon (sedan) car. She completed the lap in 1 minute 46.7 seconds, beating [[Jimmy Carr]] by 0.2 seconds. This feat was considered impressive considering that she does not drive much due to the length of time she spends at sea. It was revealed, however, that she had been bettered by [[The Stig]] who set a lap time of 1 minute 44.4 seconds. The Stig is not, though, a celebrity guest on the show, but the resident test driver. Her time was also beaten by former [[F1]] drivers [[Nigel Mansell]] (1 minute 44.6), [[Jenson Button]] (1 minute 44.7) and [[Damon Hill]] (1 minute 46.3). Their times were listed on a separate board as their fame is due to their professional driving status.

== Trivia ==

*She is fluent in [[French language|French]].

*Trains at Gurnard Pines Holiday Village, Cowes

== References ==

# {{note|wssrc-lantwestwom}} [http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/ratified.html ''WSSRC Ratified Passage Records''] — "Transatlantic E to W, Plymouth – Newport, monohull and woman any vessel", from the [[World Sailing Speed Record Council]]

# {{note|wssrc-monowoman}} [http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/ratified.html ''WSSRC Ratified Passage Records''] — "Round the World, non stop, singlehanded, woman, Vendée Globe", from the [[World Sailing Speed Record Council]]

# {{note|wssrc-lantwoman}} [http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/ratified.html ''WSSRC Ratified Passage Records''] — "Transatlantic W to E outright women, and singlehanded woman", from the [[World Sailing Speed Record Council]]

# {{note|wssrc-single}} [http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/ratified.html ''WSSRC Ratified Passage Records''] — "Round the World, non stop, singlehanded", from the [[World Sailing Speed Record Council]]

== External links ==

* [http://www.teamellen.com/ Ellen MacArthur website]

* [http://www.ellenmacarthurtrust.org/ Dame Ellen MacArthur Trust Website] — The Trust's aim is to support, empower and enliven children suffering from cancer or leukaemia by introducing them to the joys of sailing on the sea.

* [http://www.nancyblackett.org/ Nancy Blackett Trust Website]

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/derby/features/famous_derby/ellen_macarthur.shtml Biography on BBC site]

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/sailing/4229079.stm BBC News article: MacArthur sails into record books]

* [http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/ WSSRC — World Sailing Speed Record Council]

* [http://www.yachtinguniverse.com/index.php?module=photoshare&func=showimages&fid=22 Ellen MacArthur World Record Photo Gallery]

* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,23709-712575,00.html Sunday Times article]

* [http://www.rm54.co.uk/public_speakers.php?id=24 Ellen MacArthur]

[[Category:1976 births|Macarthur, Ellen]]

[[Category:Living people|Macarthur, Ellen]]

[[Category:Natives of Derbyshire|Macarthur, Ellen]]

[[Category:Natives of the Isle of Wight|Macarthur, Ellen]]

[[Category:English sailboat racers|Macarthur, Ellen]]

[[Category:Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire|Macarthur, Ellen]]

[[Category:Single-handed sailors|Macarthur, Ellen]]

[[Category:Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year award winner|Macarthur, Ellen]]

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