Sunday lunch next weekend on dry land in England, was looking an increasingly achievable target for Ellen MacArthur yesterday as she shook free of the Doldrums that had threatened to put the brakes on her bid to break the record for sailing solo round the world. There is one remaining weather hurdle for her 75-foot trimaran B&Q, but there was the equally tantalising prospect of knocking up to four days off the current record of 72 days 22 hours set by the Frenchman Francis Joyon a year ago. MacArthur, who placated Neptune with a silver charm from her necklace, said: "I felt incredibly happy for a number of hours ... [crossing the equator] was a huge relief."For Mike Golding, the hope of a finish-line lottery and a last-gasp win in the Vend?Globe round-the-world race was fading. There is an early return to indoor hockey for teams in the quarter-finals of the England Hockey Cup and for Surbiton and Cannock in the National League this weekend. The defending champions Cannock will be looking to make up ground on leaders Reading in the Men's Premier when they visit the Surrey club. Surbiton edged out Cannock 11-8 when the teams met at Kidderminster last Saturday, but this afternoon's squads will be much changed.Matt Daly, England's young striker and corner specialist, who would have been suspended for the postponed December fixture between the two, is available for Surbiton.Cannock are at home to Old Loughtonians tomorrow in the only all-Premier tie of the EH Cup quarter-finals.
The holders Reading travel to Belper, with Guildford hosting Southgate.The Loughborough Students against Holcombe game has been brought forward to this afternoon to allow the Surrey club to compete in the Indoor League play-off tournament at Haslemere tomorrow.Holcombe, currently leading the Third Division, six points clear of Whitchurch, are capable of springing a surprise. They did so against the Premier League club Teddington in the fourth round, when they overcame a 3-0 half-time deficit to win 4-3.. If Robbie Peers had a choice he would prefer not to be taking his under-performing London Towers to Thames Valley Tigers and Plymouth Raiders as he tries to coax his players back on track in the BBL Championship after two damaging defeats last weekend. The coach Peers saw Towers lose their BBL Trophy semi-final against Brighton Bears in Newcastle last Saturday, then crossed the border for a Championship defeat against Scottish Rocks in Glasgow the next day.Peers has filled his side with BBL All-Stars, but it is his former team Chester Jets who lead the Championship, with Towers six points behind in fifth - albeit with two games in hand. In-form Thames Valley can inspire vociferous support at their cramped court, while BBL newcomers Plymouth always attract a packed and raucous crowd to The Pavilions.Both coaches believe Towers can be picked off this weekend. Tigers' Paul James said: "Obviously Towers do have some of the best players in the league, but we feel we can match them in most positions.
But the new EU Constitution, in its Article I-1, establishes a new EU founded on its own Constitution rather than on treaties agreed between sovereign member states. Its Article I-7 gives the EU for the first time a legal personality and an independent corporate existence. As the Belgian Prime Minister, Guy Verhofstadt, wrote last June, "The Constitution is the capstone of European Federal State."WILL PODMORE Wanstead, London Correspondentess Sir: As Beverly Mayle (letter, 28 January) would prefer Juliet Stevenson to be described as an actress rather than an actor, one wonders if she would apply the same logic to other female professionals - surgeonesses and barristeresses perhaps? The redundant suffix "-ess" serves merely as a kind of diminutive which implies that the female practitioner is lesser than her male counterpart. It is fatuous and insulting, not to mention archaic, for any job title to be defined according to gender - as any "male nurse" will attest.DEBORA WILLIAMS Ferring, West Sussex.
