About 30 mins ago "at 1400 GMT the lines attaching the 75-foot trimaran B&Q to the dockside in Falmouth were cast off and the tow boat gently nudged Ellen MacArthur out of Falmouth Harbour and on her way."

IF ELLEN CROSSES THE LINE ON SUNDAY (28.11.04) SHE WILL HAVE TO FINISH BY 9 FEB 2005 TO SET A NEW WORLD RECORD...

* B&Q WILL NEED TO AVERAGE BETTER THAN 15.38 KNOTS FOR 72 DAYS TO BREAK THE CURRENT RECORD...15 knots is faster than most leisure sailors go even for a minute, in their lives..

* TIME TO BEAT 72 DAYS, 22 HOURS, 54 MINUTES AND 22 SECONDS SET BY FRENCHMAN FRANCIS JOYON...he sailed almost 27,000 miles to get around the planet finishing 3 February 2004 last year and taking 21 days off the previous record.

full story on http://www.teamellen.com/ellen.asp?artid=1323