Seb Clover, 15, will tomorrow set sail in his Contessa 32 to race his father across the Atlantic from Tenerife to Antigua. Ellen MacArthur met both Seb and his father Ian, 46, in London before they set off and gave her blessing to the pair.

Ellen and the Clovers were the guests of Sargent Cancer Care at the Post Office Tower as they all agreed to help raise the profile of the cancer charity.

Ian Clover, a Yachtmaster Ocean Instructor for the UK Sailing Academy in Cowes, Isle of Wight, told YM: ‘It’s been blowing a hooley down here for the last few days but all things being equal we should be off tomorrow. We have got head winds – a light southerly Force 2 but as we get south we should pick up the Trade Winds.’

Ian, who also runs a video production company, has cameras set up on his Contessa 32, Xixia and also aboard Seb’s boat Reflection. With the broadcast quality film he hopes to make a TV documentary of their race.