PARIS (AP) — French skipper Thomas Coville set a new record for the fastest sail around the world, improving the previous mark by more than 12 hours when he won the Jules Verne Trophy on Sunday.
Coville and teammates Benjamin Schwartz, Frédéric Denis, Pierre Leboucher, Léonard Legrand, Guillaume Pirouelle and Nicolas Troussel crossed the finish line off the French island of Ouessant after 40 days, 10 hours, 45 minutes and 50 seconds at sea in their 32-meter trimaran Sodebo Ultim 3.
The previous record was 40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes, 30 seconds, set in 2017 by another Frenchman, Francis Joyon.
Coville and his crew faced dramatic weather conditions on their way to the record, having to lengthen their route in the South Atlantic before they withstood Storm Ingrid near the finish. They set new benchmark times at every Cape — Good Hope, Leeuwin and Horn.
Coville averaged 29.17 knots, the equivalent of 34 mph, over 28,315 miles, also improving two intermediate records during the journey. In comparison, Joyon sailed 26,412 miles at an average speed of 26.85 knots.
The Jules Verne Trophy is open to any type of boats without restriction, and takes skippers around the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Leeuwin, and Cape Horn.
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