BBC SPORT | Special Events | 2001 | MacArthur in the Mondial

There, the Formula One multihull scene has captured the public's imagination.

Events at coastal hot spots where these massive sailing machines race close to the beach attract numbers that may just squeeze into Old Trafford.

The tense starts of the marathon ocean races are equally popular.

Amazingly this is a scene that has never migrated to the UK - perhaps Ellen MacArthur's participation will open the doors.

The credentials would appear to be there; the hardware is exciting and the racing really is the Formula One of the water - fast with the potential for major drama.

Bumpy ride

The Challenge Mondial will see nine multihulls taking part.

All are capable of speeds in excess of thirty knots and all are capable of potentially lethal capsizes.

This is a dangerous game. Racing these machines is about pushing them to their limits all the time without spinning of the track.

The multihulls moored in Cherbourg Marina awaiting Saturday's start
The course will see the fleet head west from France towards the Azores.

Chances are that the wind will be on the nose for an uncomfortable high-speed sprint to San Miguel Island where its about turn and head for the Med!.

As for wind strength, well, take a look at the Atlantic Weather maps towards the end of this week.

The closer the isobars, the bumpier the ride.

Around the Azores the winds will probably be lighter.

This could be a nail-biting section of the race for the crews as they fight to be first to get the north westerly winds that will propel them towards the Strait of Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean Sea.

The final stretch of the race could well be where it is won and lost - head to head up the east coast of Spain where conditions can be notoriously unpredictable.

Tarragona should be reached within nine days and throughout that time there will be reporting from a racetrack grandstand that will follow the fleet.

Storms gather over The British Isles and Western Europe
In for a rough ride?
The French Navy are providing the Aquatic Stadium - HMS Surcouf - a high-speed frigate.

So by the second half of this month we will have learnt new things about Ellen MacArthur.

We will discover how she finds life in a team and how she handles three hulls beneath her instead of one.

We will also find out how Foncia-Kingfisher performs against the other eight machines that will be fighting it out for the prizes on the Orma Formula One Circuit this year.

It will be interesting to see if the tour captures the imagination of an international audience in the same way it has gripped sports fans in France.

Ellen MacArthur has without question opened the eyes of the general sports fan to the Vendee Globe.

Perhaps Alain Gautier's international import will do the same for multihull racing.


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