Rowing Damage: Sodebo Has To Give Up Jules Verne Record Attempt

Rowing Damage: Sodebo Has To Give Up Jules Verne Record Attempt
Rowing Damage: Sodebo Has To Give Up Jules Verne Record Attempt

Video: Rowing Damage: Sodebo Has To Give Up Jules Verne Record Attempt

Video: Rowing Damage: Sodebo Has To Give Up Jules Verne Record Attempt
Video: Sodebo Forced to Retire 2024, March
Anonim

They wanted to break the record for the fastest non-stop circumnavigation of the world by a team in under 40 days. Now they have to abandon their ambitious attempt after 16 days at sea and call at a repair port. The trimaran "Sodebo Ultim 3" did not survive the breakneck speed across the Indian Ocean described by Boris Herrmann as a "mogul slope". On Friday evening, the eight-person crew around skipper Thomas Coville had to announce the abandonment of their ambitious project. Damage to the starboard rudder, which could not be repaired at sea even after consulting the land crew and despite the concentrated expertise on board, caused the abrupt end on December 11th - 13 days before Christmas.

Jules Verne Trophy
Jules Verne Trophy

The prospects for "Sodebo Ultim 3" are currently rather gray, but the comeback should follow quickly after the end

The team released this clip four days before the task in the Indian Ocean. The speed of the trimaran is dizzying just by looking at it …

The crew discovered the damage during a fast 30-knot ride between the Kerguelen and Cape Leeuwin. Despite intensive attempts to remedy the problem, the team saw no chance in the evening to give its 32-meter-long record-hunter back one hundred percent performance and to fight with full force for the Jules Verne trophy. The race against the clock had started for Thomas Coville, François Duguet, Sam Goodchild, Corentin Horeau, on-board reporters Martin Keruzoré, François Morvan, Thomas Rouxel and Matthieu Vandame on November 25th at 2.55 in the morning.

This video was shown shortly before the task. Not only the background noise on board "Sodebo Ultim 3" is frightening

With fast Etmalen and above all the 889.9 nautical miles in 24 hours on December 5th, the Sodebo sailing team had impressively demonstrated its potential in the past few days. But the Indian Ocean, which is currently not far away, making life more difficult for the Vendée Globe soloists than seldom before, did not allow the French Sodebo team to pass. The existing record set up in 2017 by "Idec Sport" and its crew around skipper Francis Joyon remains the measure of all things at 40 days, 23 hours and 30 minutes before the teams of "Sodebo Ultim 3" and the one after a collision with a "Ufo", who also returned to Lorient, "Maxi Edmond de Rothschild" started again.

Jules Verne Trophy
Jules Verne Trophy

The hard work of the crew did not pay off in this Jules Verne record attempt, but more attempts will follow

Jules Verne Trophy
Jules Verne Trophy

The forecastle as a workplace on board "Sodebo Ultim 3"

With a damaged rudder, Coville's men first want to head for the island of LRéunion, some 2,300 nautical miles away. There, the boat should be repaired and made safe as far as possible for the return trip to Lorient. There were encouraging words from Sodebo's co-president PatriciBrochard for the record hunters, who were without luck in this attempt: "Participation in the Jules Verne Trophy requires a high level of human and technical preparation. Thomas, François, Sam, Corentin, Martin, François, Thomas and Matthieu faced this challenge with total mental and physical commitment. On land, the weather group and the entire Lorient team were also admirable during this attempt. I would like to thank them all for their work. We succeeded, ours To make the audience dream through this extraordinary adventure. Of course this task is a disappointment for everyone. But it will also be instructive and bring the experience to master our next challenges."

Jules Verne Trophy
Jules Verne Trophy

Small consolation: Skipper Thomas Coville (center front), who has been in Sodebo service for more than 20 years, is one of the nominees for the choice of France's Skipper of the Decade. Many other stars of French sailing will also be there

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