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Record-breaking yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur is to take a break from sailing solo to concentrate on crewed or even two-handed sailing, she announced on Friday.
The diminutive 29-year-old rewrote the record books last year with her mark of 71 days 14 hours 18 minutes and 35 seconds to set a new record for sailing around the world without stopping.
The decision means she will not take part in the Vendee Globe solo circumnavigation race in 2008.
Instead, from 2007-2009, she will head-up the Offshore Challenges Sailing Team on the world championship circuit.
"My focus is to drive this new team forward, to support up and coming talent to realise their potential. My plan is to take a step back from solo sailing and, as such, I will not compete in the Vendee Globe in 2008," said the Briton.
MacArthur made her decision after spending Christmas and the New Year in the South Atlantic helping to raise awareness of the plight of the endangered albatross.
"The recent South Georgia expedition and life with the Albatrosses was in many ways a life-changing voyage and adventure for me," she added.
"My eyes have been opened to many aspects of the world around us that in our everyday lives we have little time to notice, let alone take in.
"After nearly ten years of full-on professional sailing including, if you add it up, a years worth of racing solo, I wanted to use the time down there to think about what I do next."
dj06
Yachting-GBR-MacArthur
AFP 031819 GMT 03 06
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