Green Ellen MacArthur Gets French Legion of Honour

by Ali Walsh, Derby Telegraph/Sail-World Cruising on 29 Mar 2008 World-record-breaking yachtswoman and Green Advocate Ellen MacArthur has received a top award from the French president. The Derbyshire sailor was presented with the Legion d'Honneur by Nicolas Sarkozy at the Old Royal Naval College, in Greenwich, yesterday.

Dame Ellen, a star in France and a fluent French speaker, was awarded the honour after she broke the world record for the fastest solo circumnavigation of the globe in 2005, and then lost the record to Francis Joyon, a Frenchman, earlier this year.

Dame Ellen has teamed up with power company E.ON to encourage businesses to become more energy-efficient. UK's Evening Telegraph, for whom she is a columnist, are helping to get her message across and giving people the chance to sign a pledge to promise to do all they can to save energy.

To sign the pledge, readers in Derbyshire are asked to visit www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/ellen - something that could be copied worldwide.

Of the award, Dame Ellen said she was thrilled.

'I'm delighted to be receiving this award today in front of my family, colleagues and friends, who have all contributed to helping me to be here.

'France has always been a good friend to me. I feel a great affinity with the French character... and I have a deep affection and respect for a nation that has bred so many amazing off-shore sailors.

'Our sport is extreme, dangerous but amidst all that there's something very special. We have a friendly form of competition.'

She said she felt it was more of an honour because she was not French.

'I am from Great Britain but I spend a lot of time in France and I feel a huge warmth towards the French public and the incredible hospitality they have always shown me.'