MacArthur will form part of a 12-strong crew competing in the Jules Verne race next year.

Their aim is to beat the record of 71 days and 14 hours for sailing around the world.

MacArthur oulined her plans while opening the London Boat Show on Thursday.

The announcement came on the day she revealed a new five-year sponsorship deal with Kingfisher.

The 25-year-old sprang to prominence sailing her boat Kingfisher to second place in the Vendee Globe race last year.

In the process she became the fastest women around the world.

MacArthur will continue to race Kingfisher in French regattas and sail on-board multihull Fonica with French skipper Alain Gautier during the summer.

But her next major challenge will be the Route de Rhum in November, in which she will once again race Kingfisher.

The 3,000 mile Transatlantic challenge is France's second biggest sailing event behind the Vendee Globe.

Record plans

MacArthur said she would not attempt another single-handed circumnavigation in the next Vend�e Globe in 2004.

She said: "It is true that the globe is a very special place and sailing round it alone was an incredible experience.

"But I won't do the next Vend�e in 2004. My objectives remain focused on the multi-hull circuit and the Vend�e is a tough race to do twice in a row.

"We will spend the year designing and building a brand new 60-foot trimaran to do the Route de Rhum in 2006, a race that will be the culmination of our sponsorship with Kingfisher."

MacArthur is looking forward to this year's Route de Rhum from St Malo to French colony Guadeloupe.

"The Route de Rhum was the first race I ever did with Kingfisher, and I want to do that again.

"But after that, next winter, I want to take a team of people on a maxi-catamaran to be the fastest round the world full stop in 2003.

"It will take a team of 10 to 12 people to sail a boat like that, and it really will mean racing on the edge in the Southern Ocean."