Ellen MacArthur

[ludwig]

Listening to radio phone-ins etc, I can't believe the amount of mealy mouthed whingeing about her record breaking trip - ner ner ner it's not a proper sport..ner ner ner she had a huge backup team with lots of technology..ner ner ner she's so selfish, what if she had to be rescued - who'd pay for that?...ner ner ner ad nauseum. I think it's a remarkable achievement and should be applauded. What say you other ABers?

[WaldoMcFroog]

I think both sides have some validity.

It is clearly ridiculous to compare Ellen MacArthur's achievement with Chay Blythe's and claim she's 'beaten' him - one did it in a wooden boat with no back up team, no radio, not sat-nav and the other... er... didn't.

Who would have paid if she needed rescuing? I would have thought she was insured to the hilt against just such an eventuallity. Even if she didn't I dare say she would have made a substantial contribution to their costs had something happened.

I do think it was a very impressive feat and deserves to be celebrated - she's clearly a very plucky and driven woman to have achieved what she has in her life.

On the other hand, that Ellen MacArthur takes precidence in the papers and telivision news when the Palestinians and Israelis are sitting down to discuss a much needed truce, I must confess I can't understand the rationale at all. Surely it is obvious which is the most important news story, but apparently not.

[andy hughes]

I couldn't agree morre! Having seen film of Ellen climbing up a 100' mast in high seas, you have to think that there's not computer or 'back-up' to do that!

Anyone who knows anything about sailing will tell you that the sheer physical endurance alone involved in this trip is a fantastic achievement - regardless of the skill of choosing sails, and ensuring that the running repairs are done.

Michael Schumacher is no less of a brilliant driver because he uses modern technology - people should simply enjoy the fact that for once, someone British has done something no-one else has manager, and enjoy her success.

And people who don;t know what they are talking about should keep their opinions, as just that, opinions, not implying that they are basing their observations on anything remotely approaching experience. 

[andy hughes]

Sorry ludwig - when I started my response, it was the first one - so my opening observation is agreeing with you, rather than with my eseteemd colleague Mr McFroog.

[mike1222]

Great achievement, but I wish people (not on here!)  would desist from referring to her as a heroine, because she is not!

[derbyram]

She is certainly a brave and driven woman with reserves of mental strength that I can only marvel at from my comfy chair in front of the TV. Derbyshire is proud of you Ellen!

[bernardo]

I'm delighted that she has finished because now it means that we won't have to hear the media going ona nad on and on and on and on and on and on about her all the time.

[cruthinboy]

Couldn't give a monkey's - who knows what we could all achieve if we didn't have to spend the bulk of our lives doing something we hate for a living.

[smudge]

Well done Ellen - a great achieivement - but I'm not so sure about her being made a Dame for it though! 

[Philtaz]

I am often amazed, humbled and in total awe at achievements resulting from the spirit of human endeavour and have to say this ranks among the top echelons.

To tackle the worlds oceans alone is a super-human and courageous effort.  Technological backup will be of no use if you're swept overboard or capsized in a force niner, hundreds of miles from any form of possible rescue.

She is an inspiration to many and I wish her every success for any future endeavours.

[KARL]

I am reminded of an interview I once heard, with a man who used to be the top boss of ICI before it was split up. Apparently he went much against the management wisdom (i.e. fashion too) of the day and was pilloried by the business community, media, etc. As I recall, he was asked if he had not been intimidated and he admitted he had been but felt he was right so pressed on. I don�t remember exactly how it came about but the man pointed out that physical courage is available in relative abundance, but, by comparison, moral courage is quite rare. For me, this had a loud ring of truth about it. Being the first to sail around the world non-stop and single-handed was an achievement to be noticed as is being by far the fastest 100m sprinter you or I might know personally. But, while shaving a few nanoseconds off a record by training non-stop for years for a single event is greatly admired by some, it captures my interest only for seconds and, although the single mindedness is impressively dogged, for me it borders on being disturbing. I do not wish to detract from anyone�s enjoyment of feats of this kind, whether as participant or observer, but they do not feature on my scale of important events nor do I believe they really endure. Is this a case of....the eye of the beholder�..? I rather wish there were as much moral courage around (politicians take note � but beware, you probably wouldn�t get elected and the media will not help you simply because you are honest).

[ludwig]

Thanks for all the comments. I can understand people not being interested, but it's the hostility I don't understand.

[KebabMeister]

Hostility comes from people who haven't got anything better to do; or are the typical whingers who moan about anything and everything.  It's always someone elses fault to them and never anything they've done.  If they weren't moaning about Ellen MacArthur they'd be moaning about someone else.

As for me, I'm proud of Ellen.  I don't know much about sailing but it sure looked tough and obviously time consuming.  She's just doing something that she's good at, to try and achieve her goals, to rise above others, afterall that's what 'us' humans do!  If we didn't challenge ourselves then where would we be?  If someone has already done something should we stop or should we try and better it?  It really depends on what you want out of life.  If you're happy doing the same old stuff day in, day out then fine.  But if you have the opportunity of doing something that you enjoy, or pushes you to the limit then I'd say go for it!

As for the use of technology, well, that's just how life works!  You utilise and adapt everything that can help you.  If something is not available then someone designs it for you, and then technology advances once more.....

[LeMarchand]

I don't think people are being hostile - merely giving their honest opinion. Why should we care if she breaks the record? It doesn't better anyone's life apart from her own, and possibly her sponsors.

Firemen risk their lives with good reason every day, but we don't see them all over the front pages.

[KebabMeister]

But it's news!  For instance, 'Fireman rescues cat out of tree' or 'Man lands on the moon'.  Which sells more papers?  Which subject are more people interested in?  Which is mankinds bigger achievement?

I'm not arguing that Firemen don't do a good job, they do.  Unfortunately people take for granted what Firemen do and they would soon bore every time they published an article of what they've achieved; the list would be very big.

The issue we're talking about is what Ellen MacArthur accomplished doesn't happen everyday.  It is a rare occurence in the sporting world and is worthy of mention.  Newspapers publish things that sell papers.  If you don't want to read about such things then don't read newspapers or watch the news.

If you don't care about what Ellen MacArthur has done then skip past the subject.  There are always people interested and disinterested in things around the world.  It's just a case of give and take.

I don't live in the UK now and I don't always catch the news.  If I see a news summary on the internet then I'm selective of what I want to read, since I haven't got a lot of time to digest everything. 

[Gef]

Well done to Ellen but there are hundreds of people in this country who could have done that given the same support.

[KebabMeister]

There are millions of men who could have gone to the moon with the right support :)

It still doesn't take away the achievement.  Lucky for her she is talented, the media and sponsors like her and she can sail! 

[Miss Zippy]

Personally, I�m not that interested but I can appreciate what an awesome achievement it is and you have to have respect for someone with that level of determination, spirit and talent.  It�s easy to say she�s had lots of support in this particular venture, but I bet she had to beg, borrow and steal in the early stages of her �career� in order to finance herself.  We seem to live in a society where those who are too lazy or unmotivated to make anything of themselves have to have a go and those with a �can do� attitude.