ELLEN MacARTHUR'S Kingfisher became the fourth maxi trimaran to complete the Fastnet Race last night, finishing the 610-mile course after less than 48 hours at sea.

The Isle of Wight yachtswoman was beaten by Fujicolour and Broceliande who both crossed the line yesterday lunchtime after they found a different breeze to the rest of the fleet at Land's End on Sunday and sprinted off towards Fastnet Rock.

Some eight hours later, MacArthur and Kingfisher co-skipper Yvan Bourgogne headed into the home straight doing battle with the last of the four giant multihulls Banque Populaire and the competition for third place was intense.

Ellen was finally beaten by a matter of minutes but at the end said she found the experience totally exhilerating.

The Adecco World Championship maxis were the next boats due to arrive in Plymouth after rounding the Fastnet Rock early yesterday morning. New Zealander Ross Field was ahead by 20 minutes but Ludde Ingvalle in the European yacht already has the title under his belt.

Among the rest of the IRC boats, it was Geoffrey Mulcahy's Swan 57 Teamwork that reached the Fastnet first on corrected time, though the bigger boats including American ILC 70s Sayonara, with Ted Turner, Larry Ellison and Gary Jobson on board and Sagamore, who completed the roundings first.

Mike Golding's Team Group 4, his refurbished Open 60 was 19th to the Rock while Southampton-based Swan Nokia Hamilton, the Swan 86 edged round in 11th just behind former America's Cup contender Crusader.

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