Complications for IDEC SPORT in South Atlantic

(December 23, 2016; Day 8) – Francis Joyon (FRA) and his five crew on the 31.5m VPLP-designed trimaran IDEC SPORT are eager to erase the memories of the Doldrums and gain back some lost miles. Their latest 24 hour run of 575 nm has cost them 20 nm, and the team is now 117 nm behind the current record pace set in 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.

The IDEC SPORT Maxi-Trimaran has been sailing off Brazil since the middle of the night. The SE’ly trade winds are gradually backing to the east as they dive south, allowing the trimaran to accelerate. Joyon and his men are back up to speeds above 24 knots this morning, which is the ideal way to make up for the ground lost since the Doldrums, which slowed their voyage to the Equator.

This morning off Recife they were 150 miles behind the title-holder but more or less equal as the virtual rival, the maxi trimaran Banque Populaire V, was at this point in 2012 off Salvador da Bahia, but much further west. The strategy and positioning are key in this stretch of the South Atlantic with all its uncertainties.

The St. Helena high appears to be swelling right across to Rio, and getting around it looks complicated. IDEC SPORT has been sailing under dark clouds since the Cape Verde Islands, but this should soon be replaced by sunshine. Time to get out the sun cream, T-shirts and hats on the scorching deck of the maxi trimaran.

Status as of 22:30 FR
Distance to Finish: 18704 nm
24 Hour Distance: 575 nm
24 Hour Speed Average: 24 knots
Ahead/Behind: -117.4 nm

IDEC SPORT RACING – Tracker – Facebook

Note: The 24 hour speed record of 908.2 nm (37.84 knot average) was set in 2009 by Banque Populaire 5, a 131-foot trimaran skippered by Pascal Bidegorry (FRA).

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