IDEC SPORT Waiting for Cape Horn Train

(January 5, 2016; Day 21, 22:36 FR) – In their bid win the Jules Verne Trophy for fastest outright time around the world, Francis Joyon (FRA) and his five crew on the 31.5m VPLP-designed trimaran IDEC SPORT is now east of New Zealand at 52° South.

Their latest 24 hour run of 695 nm has decreased their lead to 824.7 nm (-250.7 nm) ahead of the current time 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 team lost the low-pressure system that propelled them so far at high speed, allowing them to sail for eleven days on the same tack and to set several records in the Southern Ocean. As they cross the International Date Line and move to degrees of longitude West, IDEC SPORT is tackling a transition zone, which has led to a gybe to starboard and a southerly angle to join another low heading towards the Cape Horn.

“We’re already in the Pacific, although it’s hard to grasp,” said Joyon. “We’ve gone to full sail. We haven’t seen that for a long time. We’ll use the gennaker during the night until we get to the low and hoist the smaller sails again.”

“Even if we’re completely confused about the dates and times, and we’re in No Man’s Land, we know we’ll shortly be getting closer to Brest,” added Bernard Stamm. “It’s incredible to have sailed such a straight line. Everything fell into place for us. After this transition zone, we’ll pick up some more wind and get back on a SSE’ly heading. It’s looking good all the way to the Horn, even if we’ll have more manoeuvres to do.”

Status as of 22:36 FR
Distance to Finish: 10567.9 nm
24 Hour Distance: 695 nm
24 Hour Speed Average: 29.0 knots
Ahead/Behind: +824.7 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