New Train Toward Cape Horn

(January 7, 2016; Day 22, 23:10 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 have hopped onto a new train toward Cape Horn.

Their latest 24 hour run of 638 nm has increased their lead to 1185.5 nm (+305.9 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.

After a day of being significantly slowed, IDEC SPORT is now on the northern edge of a Southern low with more favourable winds allowing them to step up the pace towards Cape Horn. They now have less than 10,000 miles left to sail and Joyon and his crew are back at high speeds in the South Pacific. By morning at 55°S, they were 950 miles ahead of the record pace in the Jules Verne Trophy and increased their lead during the day.

With a NW’ly wind gusting up to 40 knots on waves that are not as nasty, everything is in place for the red and grey trimaran to sail at speed on the port tack. “The seas are still a bit confused, but we’re sailing well. The boat is making 30-35 knots without us pushing too hard. The seas will improve as time goes by,” said Francis Joyon at dawn 2700 miles from the Horn.

Status as of 23:10 FR
Distance to Finish: 9230.2 nm
24 Hour Distance: 638 nm
24 Hour Speed Average: 26.6 knots
Ahead/Behind: +1185.5 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