Gabart sets record to Cape Leeuwin

(November 24, 2017; Day 21) – François Gabart, who left Ouessant on November 4 at 10:05 (UTC+1), continues to set the pace in this attempt at the singlehanded round the world record.

Sailing at an average of 30 knots since Tuesday night (Nov 21), ahead of a large low pressure system typical of the South Seas, the skipper of the 30m MACIF trimaran crossed the longitude of Cape Leeuwin, second of the three capes of this round the world, after the Cape of Good Hope and before Cape Horn, today at 00:15 (UTC+1).

Similar to when he entered on the Indian ocean, François Gabart has set a new reference time singlehanded between Ouessant and Leeuwin, located to the southwest of Australia, in 19 days, 14 hours and 10 minutes, at an average speed of 26.5 knots.

He has therefore improved the time achieved a year ago by Thomas Coville on board Sodebo, the current holder of the singlehanded round the world record, by 1 day 12 hours and 59 minutes.

MACIF’s next goal in sight: Tasmania, at the south-eastern tip of Australia, which marks the point where she leaves the Indian Ocean and enters the Pacific Ocean.

As of 16:00 (FR), Gabart is 572.5 nm ahead of the record pace after covering 694.4 nm in the past 24 hours.

Only three sailors to date (Francis Joyon, Ellen MacArthur, Thomas Coville) have ever held the record. After his start on November 4, to beat the record of 49 days, 3 hours, 4 minutes and 28 seconds held by Coville since December 25, 2016, Gabart will need to cross the finishing line (between Créac’h lighthouse, in Ouessant (Ushant), and the Lizard Point lighthouse in Cornwall, England) before 13.09 on December 23 (French time, UTC+1).

Team details – Tracker – Facebook