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| Yachtswoman Dame Ellen to retire | Yachtswoman Dame Ellen to retire |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Round-the-world yachtswoman Dame Ellen MacArthur has announced her retirement from competitive sailing so she can focus on environmental campaigning. | Round-the-world yachtswoman Dame Ellen MacArthur has announced her retirement from competitive sailing so she can focus on environmental campaigning. |
| Dame Ellen will speak of her decision on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs. | |
| She said she gained a new understanding of the issue during two months spent camping on the remote island of South Georgia in the southern Atlantic. | She said she gained a new understanding of the issue during two months spent camping on the remote island of South Georgia in the southern Atlantic. |
| In 2006, Dame Ellen broke the record for the fastest solo circumnavigation of the globe. | In 2006, Dame Ellen broke the record for the fastest solo circumnavigation of the globe. |
| She said: "I never thought that anything in my life could eclipse sailing, I didn't think it was possible. | She said: "I never thought that anything in my life could eclipse sailing, I didn't think it was possible. |
| 'New understanding' | 'New understanding' |
| "But after being in South Georgia, after learning these lessons I suppose, and the more I researched into it, the more frightened I got and that has really scared me to the point that I can't go back to sea and go around the world again because this really matters." | "But after being in South Georgia, after learning these lessons I suppose, and the more I researched into it, the more frightened I got and that has really scared me to the point that I can't go back to sea and go around the world again because this really matters." |
| She said the trip three years ago changed her attitude towards her life and her view of the world. | |
| "I realised that on land we don't see things as precious any more. We take what we want. And it started to make me think. I was looking at plans for the future and it hit home to me. | |
| "This world, that I thought as a child was the biggest, most adventurous place you could imagine, is not that big. And there's an awful lot of us on it. | |
| Will I invest four years of my life to sailing round the world - no. This new understanding for me has become far more important Dame Ellen MacArthur | |
| "And we're not managing the resources that we have as you would on a boat because we don't have the impression that these resources are limited." | |
| Her new priority is sustainable living and she said it was living on a boat which made her realise how many resources are wasted. | |
| "When you sail on a boat you take with you the minimum of resources. You don't waste anything. You don't leave the light on; you don't leave a computer screen on. And I realised that on land we take what we want," she explained. | |
| "You'd never do that on a boat. If you need some kitchen roll, you tear off a corner, not a whole square. But someone somewhere thought that a perforated line was what everyone needs." | |
| Dame Ellen said she would continue to sail for pleasure and to raise money for charity. | Dame Ellen said she would continue to sail for pleasure and to raise money for charity. |
| 'Still love sailing' | |
| "I still sail, I love sailing, I'll still sail for pleasure, I sail for charity - the Ellen MacArthur Trust for kids with cancer, leukaemia, but as long as this challenge is there to be communicated, will I invest four years of my life to sailing round the world - no," she said. | "I still sail, I love sailing, I'll still sail for pleasure, I sail for charity - the Ellen MacArthur Trust for kids with cancer, leukaemia, but as long as this challenge is there to be communicated, will I invest four years of my life to sailing round the world - no," she said. |
| "This new understanding for me has become far more important." | "This new understanding for me has become far more important." |
| Her record of 71 days and 14 hours was broken in 2008 by Francis Joyon, the French sailor, who took 14 days off the time. | Her record of 71 days and 14 hours was broken in 2008 by Francis Joyon, the French sailor, who took 14 days off the time. |
| She told the programme: "There is a part of me that wants that record back, but something's stopping me do it." | |
| • Desert Island Discs will be aired on BBC Radio 4 at 1115BST on Sunday. | • Desert Island Discs will be aired on BBC Radio 4 at 1115BST on Sunday. |