London, United Kingdom, December 17, 2007—A crew member works on the deck of Earthrace, said to be the world's fastest eco-boat, at the QE2 pier in Greenwich. The picture was taken during a photo-call to announce an attempt by the boat to break the round-the-world speed record.

Pete Bethune, the New Zealand skipper of Earthrace, said the circumnavigation of the globe would begin from Valencia in Spain on March 1, 2008, according to the news agency Press Association.

Bethune will be attempting to break the current world record of 74 days, 20 hours, and 58 minutes set in 1998.

The boat runs completely on biodiesel with a net zero carbon footprint. As a symbolic gesture, the captain and two volunteers underwent liposuction to produce 2.5 gallons (10 liters) of human fat, enough to power the boat 9 miles (15 kilometers).

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