Joyon Ahead of Jules Verne Trophy Pace

(December 19, 2016; Day 4) – Francis Joyon (FRA) and his five crew on the 31.5m VPLP-designed trimaran IDEC SPORT have had an epic 24 hours, covering 698 nm to now be 74 nm ahead of the pace needed to grasp the Jules Verne Trophy for crewed round the world speed.

On what is an almost ideal route, Joyon’s multihull is speeding along at nearly 30 knots past the Cape Verde Islands. The gybe they carried out yesterday evening see them on the port tack which carry them until the Doldrums. The trade winds are gradually shifting eastwards offering the maxi trimaran an excellent angle to dive south.

Status as of 22:30 FR
Distance to Finish: 20364.3 nm
24 Hour Distance: 698 nm
24 Hour Speed Average: 29.1 knots
Ahead/Behind: +74.4 nm

IDEC SPORT RACING – Tracker – Facebook

Background:
The Jules Verne Trophy is a prize for the fastest circumnavigation of the world by any type of yacht with no restrictions on the size of the crew, starting and finishing between the Le Créac’h Lighthouse off the tip of Brittany and the Lizard Point in Cornwall.

After starting on November 16, Francis Joyon (FRA) and his five crew on the 31.5m VPLP-designed trimaran IDEC SPORT need to finish by 22:00:53 UTC on Monday January 30 to beat the current record set January 2012 by Loïck Peyron and his crew on the 40 VPLP-designed trimaran Banque Populaire V of 45 days, 13 hours, 42 minutes and 53 seconds.

Francis Joyon (fourth from left) and his crew comprising Clément Surtel, Alex Pella, Bernard Stamm, Gwénolé Gahinet and Sébastien Audigane.

Jules Verne Trophy
Record to beat: 45 days, 13 hours, 42 minutes and 53 seconds set by Loïck Peyron and his crew of 13 in January 2012 on the trimaran Banque Populaire V (40 m)
Average speed to beat: 19.75 knots
Course: around the world via the three capes, Good Hope, Leeuwin, Horn.
Great circle distance: 21,600 miles
Start and finish line between Ushant (Créac’h Lighthouse and The Lizard (Cornwall).

IDEC SPORT trimaran
Trimaran with foils
Designers: VPLP
Previous names: Groupama 3, Banque Populaire VII
Initial launch: June 2006
Length: 31.50 m
Beam: 22.50 m
Displacement: 15 t
Draught: 5.70 m
Mast height: 33.50 m
Structure: carbon-nomex

Source: IDEC SPORT