ELLEN MACARTHUR missed out on one of the world's most coveted sailing titles when her 60-foot trimaran Kingfisher Foncia suffered bowsprit and hydraulics problems just miles from the finish of the Transat Jacques Vabre.

MacArthur, who had started the 5,188 mile race in Le Havre as one of the favourites to win the multihull class with her co-skipper Alain Gaultier, stayed ahead of the fleet until last Saturday, just 380 miles from the finish.

But then the bowsprit exploded and a problem with a hydraulic system which supports and rotates the mast prevented them from completing a critical gybe. A gennaker also blew out slowing the boat right down.

Frank Cammas in Groupama overtook and arrived in Bahia first, three and a half hours ahead of the tired and devastated Ellen who recorded a time of 14 days, 12 hours, 35 minutes and ten seconds racing.

"I'm relieved we're here, that we've arrived after the problems," said the Cowes yachtswoman.

"It's great to see so many people. We're both a bit disappointed to finish second when we'd been leading for a big part of the race. The sailing was fantastic, Alain was fantastic, the race was fantastic."

Her second place earned her victory in the two-year long FICO-Lacoste Skippers World Championship and, at the age of 25, she becomes the youngest sailor and also the first woman to win this championship - and only the second non-French skipper.

Kingfisher finished with two podium places after Mark Turner and Nick Moloney came in third in the monohull class.

But for the Solent's other entrants, Emma Richards in the multihull Pindar and Miranda Merron in Un Univers de Service, positions have taken second place to the challenge of completing the course.

Merron finished ninth in the monohulls which was a remarkable effort considering her 12-year-old boat lacked vital equipment for such a tough race, and Hamble yachtswoman Richards, racing with Miki von Kuskull, came close to announcing their retirement after a succession of problems on their boat.

The pair became downhearted when they heard cracks and bangs coming from their central hull and were convinced the boat was falling apart.

Then their three nearest rivals retired because of damage inflicted by the harsh Southern Atlantic conditions.

"This morning we considered the different options of continuing or retiring," reported Richards, who is still 1,000 miles from the finish.

"Seeing all our closest competitors vanishing due to gear and structure failure we felt really sad for them and also made us more hyper and concerned about the state of our own boat.

"But we are happy to say that after some very encouraging words from our sponsor and all the shore support we realised that retiring would not be the option.

"Tonight, with the new moon rising and the wind giving us a tiny break, we are very happy for that decision."