Sailing: British tycoon Branson abandons record attempt
Associated Press
NEW YORK — British billionaire Sir Richard Branson has abandoned his transatlantic speed record aboard a 99-foot ultramodern racing yacht.
Spokeswoman Jackie McQuillan says Branson made the decision around 7:15 a.m. EDT. Friday, two days after setting sail from New York City. The crew, including Branson's two children, are now sailing to St. George, Bermuda.
They plan a conference call with the media later in the day to talk about the conditions that led them to abandon the record.
She says Branson first announced his decision in a live interview with CNN.
They hoped to break the record for a trans-Atlantic crossing in a single-hulled sailboat by making it to southwest England in less than six days.
