Ellen MacArthur

Who is Ellen MacArthur?

Dame Ellen Patricia MacArthur, DBE, is a retired British sailor, from Whatstandwell near Matlock in Derbyshire, now based in West Cowes, Isle of Wight.

MacArthur was a successful solo long-distance yachtswoman. On 7 February 2005 she broke the world record for the fastest solo circumnavigation of the globe, a feat which gained her international renown. Francis Joyon, the Frenchman who had held the record before MacArthur, recovered the record again in early 2008, beating MacArthur's record by nearly two weeks. 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.