ELLEN MACARTHUR is still on top of the world despite finishing an agonising second in the Transat Jacques Vabre race.

The Cowes-based yachtswoman, sailing Kingfisher-Foncia with Frenchman Alain Gautier, arrived in the Brazilian port of Salvador de Bahia just three hours and 32 minutes behind winners Groupama (Franck Cammas/Steve Ravussin).

The French-Swiss combination had dramatically taken the lead in the trans-Atlantic race just 24 hours before the finish.

It was cruel luck on MacArthur, who also placed second in the single-handed Vendee Globe round-the-world race earlier this year.

But the 25-year-old, above, still heads the Fico-Lacoste World Championship for offshore racing, with 301.5 points ahead of Michel Desjoyeaux, the French winner of the Vendee Globe.

MacArthur said afterwards: "I'm relieved that we're here, that we've arrived after last night's problems.

"It's great to see so many people.

"For sure we're both a bit disappointed to finish second when we had been leading for a big part of the race.

"The sailing was fantastic, Alain was fantastic, the race was fantastic!"

MacArthur and Gautier had spent 14 days, 12 hours, 35 minutes and 10 seconds racing since leaving the French port of Le Havre earlier this month.

They had held the lead on Kingfisher-Foncia for several days until a broken bowsprit, hydraulic problems and blown out gennaker slowed them up sufficiently for Groupama to steal victory in the final 24 hours of the race. "It was a nightmare," added MacArthur. "There was oil everywhere. On the side of the boat making it slippery all over my hands, in my eyes. But we had to do something.

"Without the rams, there was nothing holding the mast up but string. Rather good string, but string all the same."

But MacArthur admitted they had sailed well and to their potential until the disastrous final 24 hours.

"We were spot on," she said. "Just perfect. I really don't think from a tactical point of view that we could have sailed a better race. But what can you do? It's so frustrating."

l For the first time on the South Africa to Australia leg John Kostecki's team on illbruck have moved into the lead in the Volvo Ocean Race.

By sailing 438 miles over the last 24 hours the leg one winners have taken out a two-mile lead over Team SEB, with ASSA ABLOY in third.

The leaders have less than 1,800 miles to sail before they leave the Southern Ocean and round the official waypoint of Eclipse Island at the south-west tip of Australia.

From there, it is 1,600 miles of racing through the Great Australian Bight before entering the renowned Bass Strait and finally the short 250-mile sprint to Sydney Harbour.