Sail around the world in 40 or 41 days? Until recently, that seemed inconceivable! Now "Idec Sport" skipper Francis Joyon and his crew are preparing to turn this dream into a reality. On Tuesday evening, the maxi catamaran sailed on its hunt for the Jules Verne trophy for the fastest circumnavigation of the world between the Azores and Madeir on the Cape Finisterre course. From there it will only be a stone's throw for the "big cat" towards the imaginary finish line between the French island of Ouessant and the British Lizard Point.
In episode 12 of the video series for the Jules Verne record run by "Idec Sport", emotions boil. The men around skipper Francis Joyon are already very close to their dream …
Francis Joyon, Bernard Stamm, Alex Pella, Sébastien Audigane, Clément Surtel and Gwénolé Gahinet still had a good 1,100 nautical miles to complete. They still defended a reassuring lead over the old record set by Loïck Peyron's "Banque Populaire V" crew in 2012 of an incredible 1620 nautical miles. Peyron's record time back then: 45 days, 13 hours, 42 minutes and 53 seconds. The current speed of the "Idec Sport" was 30 knots on Tuesday evening. With decreasing winds, the projections pointed to a finish early on Thursday morning.
The ball of your dreams has almost been circled: the "Idec Sport" crew shortly before the start
With its start on November 22nd, "Idec Sport" skipper Francis Joyon and his men had chosen an ideal weather window
The French crew with Swiss and Spanish reinforcements is sailing towards a fantastic record that will hardly appear to be beatable for the foreseeable future. In addition to sailing skills and an outstanding boat, ideal weather conditions over long stretches of the estimated 26,500 nautical miles over the ground contributed to this. "We're lucky because the weather cooperates. I think Francis spoke to the isobars," said Bernard Stamm with a wink on his sixth circumnavigation of the world while the Idec Sport under the mainsail and gennaker in 25 knots of south-southwest winds how she rode up the Atlantic on rails. "It is now up to us not to make any more mistakes. We will not press the gas pedal as deeply as we did in the Indian Ocean. We want to preserve what we have earned. But it is great to get closer to the goal at such speeds."
Skipper Joyon also warned to be vigilant: "It is in my nature to be careful. There are risks right up to the finish line. But we are well positioned with a view of the depths and the weather should allow us to reach Brittany without mishaps. " In France, after the heroes' receptions at the Vendée Globe in Les Sables d'Olonne, the next big welcome party is now on the program in Brest.