Professional British sailor Ellen MacArthur can look forward to a bright financial future thanks to her record-breaking solo circumnavigation of the world.
The diminutive 28-year-old has re-written the record books with her mark of 71 days 14 hours 18 minutes and 35 seconds, and in the process was honored by being made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth.
And the massive publicity which surrounded MacArthur's 25m trimaran B&Q's arrival in Falmouth on Feb. 5 has not gone unnoticed among potential sponsors who have been keen to tap into the "Ellen Brand."
Sports agent Nigel Currie believes that MacArthur can expect to earn up to US$9.4 million in the coming year and a half alone.
"Ellen can earn between US$5.6 million and US$9.4 million in the next 18 months in advertising contracts alone," Currie said.
MacArthur made her name in the 2001 Vendee Globe world race when she chased Frenchman Michel Desjoyeux home to lose by just 24 hours.
She then became the fastest woman to cross the Atlantic Ocean, failing by 75 minutes to beat the fastest man.
Since then she had already tapped into the commercial possibilities, building a mini empire on both sides of the English Channel with a best-selling book, TV appearances, her own clothes line and one of the busiest Web sites in world sport.
Her latest exploit, however, will catapult her into the multi-millionaires league.
Before she broke the record, MacArthur had a select few endorsements with car manufacturer Renault, retail group Kingfisher and their French chain Castorama.
Her main sponsor Kingfisher put US$4 million into a boat to race in the 2001 Vendee Globe. And after winning the 2002 Route du Rhum she switched to multi-hulls.
The five-year contract linking Offshore Challenges and Kingfisher began in 2002 with a financial contribution of US$5 million per year which included the cost of construction of the trimaran B&Q.
But Kingfisher have calculated that the publicity they received from MacArthur's feat is worth at least US$227 million in publicity.
"The cost of sponsorship was largely covered by media fallout and this even before Ellen had established a new record," a Kingfisher spokesman said.
"At the beginning of our association in 1998, Kingfisher was merging with Castorama, it was a means of getting our name known in France where sailing is very popular. As Ellen is British, but speaks French fluently, she's a perfect ambassador," he said.
Further potentially money-spinning exploits are now in the offing.
A new attempt to beat the transatlantic record looks on the cards as MacArthur tries to lower the seven-day mark.
And the old tea-clipper route between Shanghai and London, which would be of interest to Kingfisher who are keen to develop in China, beckons, as could a west-to-east circumnavigation against prevailing winds.
There are also two books to write, the first of which will be a picture-led publication in the shops in time for Christmas, with the possibility of further offers for endorsing products and motivational public speaking tours.
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