Virgin tycoon SIR RICHARD BRANSON has been forced to scrap his attempt to set a sailing world record from New York to England, after his yacht was damaged by a storm. Approximately 2 days and 4 hours at sea in the face of impossible odds the crew of Virgin Money had to admit defeat on their first attempt to set a new world record for the fastest mono-hull crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. After 2 days that saw the crew and Virgin Money overcome seas of 40 ft. a gale force winds of between 7 and 9 their dreams were finally dashed when a monster wave took out the spinnaker, washed a ten man life boat overboard and ripped a huge gash in the mainsail.
Branson had hoped to break the record of six days, 17 hours and 52 minutes with a team including his son Sam and daughter Holly when they set sail on Wednesday (22Oct08).
But he has pulled the plug on the mission after a huge wave battered the Virgin Money yacht in the mid Atlantic two days into the trek.
Speaking from sea, Branson says, "We got taken by one massive monster wave that took us from behind and took one of our life rafts.
"The boat did great, but the conditions were a bit too bad this time." MORE DETAILS
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