Spindrift 2: New Record to the Equator

(November 27, 2015; Day 6) – By switching hemisphere at 0131hrs GMT (0231hrs French time), the crew on Spindrift 2 managed to break the five-day barrier for the Ushant-Equator course. The new record time is now 4 days, 21 hours, 29 minutes (the previous record held by Loïck Peyron and his crew on Banque Populaire V was 5 days 14 hours and 55 minutes). The trimaran is now en route to the Cape of Good Hope and must negotiate the southern hemisphere trade winds and the St Helena High.

IDEC SPORT, which is in dual pursuit of the Jules Verne Trophy, crossed the equator in 5 days and 1 hour. Skipper Francis Joyon and his team started almost two hours before Spindrift 2.

As of 1615UTC
Distance to finish: 20021.8 nm
Distance for 24 hours: 590.0 nm
Distance ahead of record: 380.91 nm

Source: Spindrift 2

Team website – Tracker – Facebook

Background: On Sunday, November 22nd, 2015 at 4:01:58 GMT, the trimaran Spindrift 2, led by Yann Guichard, crossed the start line that runs from Créac’h lighthouse (Ushant island, France) to Lizard Point (England) for the start of her crewed non-stop circumnavigation. The 40m VPLP-designed Spindrift 2 was originally launched in 2008 as Banque Populaire 5, the boat that Loïck Peyron set the record on in 2012. To beat the record, Spindrift 2 must return to Ushant before 17:43:51 GMT on January 6th, 2016.

MORE: Also starting on November 22 (at 02:02:22 GMT) for an attempt at the Jules Verne Trophy was Francis Joyon (FRA), skippering the 31.5m VPLP-designed trimaran IDEC SPORT. The 6-person team must return by 15:44:15 GMT on January 6, 2016 to beat the record. Here’s a tracker showing both teams: http://volodiaja.net/Tracking/

Jules Verne Trophy:
Start and finish: a line between Créac’h lighthouse (Ushant island) and Lizard Point (England)
Course: crewed circumnavigation via the three capes (Good Hope, Leeuwin and Horn).
Minimum distance: 21,600 miles (40,000 km)
Ratification: World Sailing Speed Record Council
Time to beat: 45 days, 13 hours, 42 minutes and 53 seconds
Average speed: 19.75 knots on the theoretical 21,600 nautical mile route, but 26.5 knots on the actual 28,965 nautical mile route.
Date of current record: January 2012
Holder: Banque Populaire V, Loïck Peyron and a 13-man crew

SPINDRIFT 2 CREW:
Yann Guichard, skipper
Dona Bertarelli, helmsman-trimmer
Sébastien Audigane, helmsman-trimmer
Antoine Carraz, helmsman-trimmer
Thierry Duprey du Vorsent, helmsman-trimmer
Christophe Espagnon, helmsman-bowman
Jacques Guichard, helmsman-trimmer
Erwan Israël, navigator
Loïc Le Mignon, helmsman-trimmer
Sébastien Marsset, bowman
François Morvan, helmsman-trimmer
Xavier Revil, helmsman-trimmer
Yann Riou, media reporter
Thomas Rouxel, helmsman-bowman
Jean-Yves Bernot, onshore router