Triple Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie and Sir Richard Branson have set sail aboard the 99ft monohull maxi-yacht Virgin Money (ex-Speedboat owned by Alex Jackson, USA) for their cross-Atlantic challenge.

Branson’s children Holly (26) and Sam (23) and the TEAMORIGIN crew, which includes Mike Sanderson as co-skipper aim to break the world record for crossing the Atlantic Ocean, currently set at 6 days 17 hours, 39 minutes and 52 seconds.
 
Virgin Money set sail from New York and passed the official start line at Ambrose Lighthouse at 04:00 EST (09:00 BST) on 22 October 2008. The yacht will have to make the target of Lizard Point, the most South Westerly point of the UK, no later than 21:39.52 EST on 28 October 2008 to break the record.