Ellen is now the World Record Holder for Solo, Non-Stop Around the World on a Multihull... The youngest in history to ever take this on.

She originally captured the public's attention attempting The Vende Globe which was the toughest challenge the world's oceans had to offer100 days alone at sea, circumnavigating the globe. During her gruelling 94 day voyage and suffering major equipment failures she finished second. At 24 she became the youngest person ever to have achieved this remarkable feat.

Ellen was 10 years old when she fell in love with the idea of sailing. She saved her dinner money for three years to buy her first boat, an 8ft dinghy to sail on a local reservoir. By the age of 18 she owned a 21ft pocket cruiser, and took it around Britain solo. That year she was named Young Sailor of the Year.

Ellen applied to over 2,500 companies for sponsorship and received only 2 replies. To develop herself as a sailor she moved to France, the heartland of single-handed racing. It was her performance in the Mini-Transat, a race of some 2,700km from Brest to Martinique with a single stop in Tenerife, which she completed in 38 days, that brought her the first major sponsorship.

Ellen then took part in the transatlantic Route du Rhum where she won her class, despite having a shattered running board. She was acclaimed in the French press as la jeune espoire de la voile, or sailing's young hope.

Ellen's preparations for the Vende Globe included a series of consultations with leading chronobiologist Claudio Stampi, with whom she trained to sleep for as little as 20 minutes at a time to avoid fatigue.

Ellens boat Kingfisher carried a plaque with the names of 100 children suffering long-term illnesses she dedicated each day of her voyage to one of these children.