Virgin’s greatest challenge

Since I’ve been working with Richard at Virgin our biggest challenge has been entering into the rail industry and bidding for the franchise. At the time this was very new. The government was privatising the railways and it was a very difficult and highly competitive process.
At that time the rail industry had a poor reputation. [...]

Richard answers your questions

Thank you to everyone who posted questions to Richard about last week’s translatlantic sailing record challenge.
Richard, Sam, Holly and the crew of Virgin Money are now safely on dry land again so we phoned Richard to put your questions directly to him.
Listen to his answers here:
Yasmin’s question:
Sorry about this latest setback. Are you still [...]

Ask Richard about the Atlantic crossing

Have you got a question for Richard about his latest world record challenge? The Virgin Money yacht is now safely on it’s way to Bermuda and Richard will be checking in to his blog early next week. So now’s your chance to ask him anything you want about his transatlantic adventure. Richard will only be [...]

Virgin Money’s dreams dashed by monster wave

After 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 [...]

Record attempt abandoned

Richard Branson and the crew of Virgin Money have sadly been forced to abandon their bid to break the transatlantic sailing record. Damage sustained to the racing yacht during rough seas along with an earlier diversion to avoid high winds and strong seas meant that Virgin Money was a day off course. Both of [...]

Hearts sink on Virgin Money

We’ve just experienced a night from hell when Virgin Money was struck by a massive wave from behind – washing one of our life rafts over board, damaging the spinnaker and devastatingly tearing a massive hole in our mainsail. Luckily all of the crew were harnessed in and no one was swept overboard, which [...]

Virgin Money forced off course

DAY TWO ‘VIRGIN MONEY’ TRANSATLANTIC RECORD ATTEMPT:
FROM MISSION CONTROL, LONDON
ELAPSED JOURNEY TIME: 27 hrs 50 mins
DISTANCE COVERED: 500 miles
VIRGIN MONEY STATUS:
Boat’s position: 38°22.04′N 062°37.63′W
Course over ground: 098T
Boat speed: 20.3 kts
Wind speed: 26.2 kts
Wind direction: 356T
Commanders Weather: ‘Virgin Money has gone about 500 miles but unfortunately not exactly toward the finish. They have been [...]

Sam Branson on board Virgin Money

Sam Branson looks like he’s relishing the adventure in this footage from aboard the Virgin Money yacht - currently speeding across rough Atlantic seas in Richard Branson’s latest world record attempt.
Keep checking back for updates from all the Bransons on board - Richard, Sam and Holly.

Follow Richard’s progress via his Twitter
Find out more on the [...]

Brutal but amazing

We have been out here now just over 24 hours but it feels like 24 days. Leaving New York we have a magnificent sight of the Statue of Liberty and it wasn’t until then that it hit home what we were embarking on. The winds have been up to gale force 8 and [...]

Virgin Money Atlantic record attempt

Follow Richard’s progress via his Twitter
Find out more on the Virgin Money site