Woman Skipper Takes Lead in Yacht Race

England’s Ellen MacArthur seized a 5-mile lead over France’s Michel Desyoyeaux yesterday in the Vendee Globe “round-the-world” yachting race. One of only two female skippers in the competition, MacArthur sails the Kingfisher in this 25,000 mile race for 60-foot monohulls that is expected to finish in 2 weeks in France. Earlier this month, MacArthur rounded South America’s Cape Horn in second place, 640 miles behind Desyoyeaux but took the lead over the last few weeks with 3,000 miles to go.