Thomas Coville gave himself the best Christmas present: the Frenchman is back from his circumnavigation earlier than expected. His masterpiece was perfect on Christmas Day. With just 49 days, 3 hours, 7 minutes and 38 seconds, the Frenchman set a new fabulous record in the race around the world and was even able to break the sound barrier of 50 days. The Frenchman undercut Francis Joyon's old record from 2008 by an incredible 8 days, 10 hours, 26 minutes and 28 seconds.
A few hours before the finish line, Thomas Coville is visited and interviewed by a French Navy aircraft. During the conversation the skipper cries with emotion
In the fifth attempt to become legend: France and the entire sailing world bows to the likeable Thomas Coville on this Christmas day. The new record time, which has yet to be ratified by the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC), will be hard to beat for the foreseeable future. Coville himself was moved to tears when he returned home. A few hours before the finish line, he had barely found words in an interview, between "fantastique", "genial" and "what a Christmas present!" swallowed again and again.
Thomas Coville
The overjoyed father crossed the finish line on December 25th at 5:57 p.m. and 30 seconds after 28,400 nautical miles around the world. Before that, the persistent and now enthusiastically celebrated record hunter had already set several records while chasing around the world with the 31-meter-long trimaran "Sodebo Ultim". Including a new record from the equator to the equator. He completed the distance in 35 days, 21 hours, 38 minutes and 6 seconds.
Thomas Coville: the new master of single-handed circumnavigation on multihulls
Coville's return is now awaited with great anticipation. The 48-year-old still needs a few hours from the imaginary finish line between England and Ouessant in France to the port of Brest, where an XXL reception with tens of thousands of fans should take place. A Christmas festival to the taste of the French who love their sea heroes.
Current editorial supplement (December 25, 8:57 p.m.): Coville will spend the night at sea with five men from his team and will not enter the port in front of Brest Castle until Monday morning (Boxing Day), where a big welcome party and a live broadcast are planned.
Editorial addition (December 26, 10 a.m.): You can watch the live broadcast of Thomas Coville's arrival in Brest on Boxing Day from 10 a.m. here.
The facts about Thomas Coville's world record