After a winning performance in this single-handed race across the Atlantic, it's never too early for champagne. Ellen MacArthur staves of calamity to make it first to the bubbly.

NEWPORT, RI — On a rainy, grey day in Newport, Ellen MacArthur sailed Kingfisher to line honors at 6:21 this morning in the Europe 1 New Man STAR, becoming both the youngest person to compete in this race and the youngest person to win it—a feat even more impressive considering this was the largest and most competitive fleet ever assembled. The 23-year-old MacArthur had initially been hoping to finish in the top 10, sailing against 18 other 60-foot monohulls and some of the best skippers in the world who are using the race to qualify for this year's Vendée Globe single-handed, non-stop, round-the-world race. Instead, MacArthur found herself in the lead from early on, relinquishing it only once over the two-week race from to Roland Jourdain's Sill Beurre le Gall for 24 hours. MacArthur regained the lead, and although Jourdain battled back—at one point a mere five miles from MacArthur—she pulled away, eventually crossing 100 miles ahead for a 14d, 23h, and 11m finish time.
Strong upwind conditions dominated the course, and three boats were dismasted in the first big depression that had many others in gear-damage management. MacArthur described her role as the leader in the fleet as "extremely stressful," since any incorrect decisions in the face of evolving weather patterns and encroaching competitors could have lost the race for her at any point. Among the solo skipper's travails were a close call with an iceberg, a collision with a whale, and falling down the forward hatch, which resulted in a cut to her head and a set of black eyes.
Roland Jourdain on Sill Beurre le Gall, and Mike Golding on Team Group 4 are currently battling for second place and latest reports show a mere four miles between the two. Mike Golding's last contact indicated that he was amidst the shipping lanes, in the fog, and with no radar. A windshift caused him to opt for a route over the Nantucket shoals, which means that Golding is not using water ballast in the event he needs to tack quickly and is therefore sailing at only 70-percent speed. Golding offered his congratulations to MacArthur saying, "She has done an amazing job; definitely on a mission. Someone's been watching over her; she's sailed a flawless race!" Golding and Jourdain are expected to finish in Newport at 2200 local time today, Monday.