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PRESS RELEASE – November 9th, 2017

// JULES VERNE TROPHY //

SPINDRIFT 2: BE PART OF OUR WORLD TOUR

The entire Spindrift racing team, both sailors and shore crew, are on the alert!
We are ready to go. The crew and our maxi-trimaran, Spindrift 2, are waiting for a favourable weather window to start our Jules Verne Trophy record attempt.
You too could be part of this challenge to try and race around the world in 40 days, and we have lots of ways that you can follow and share the adventure.

EMAG FOCUS#5
The new edition of our e-magazine, FOCUS, is entirely dedicated to the Jules Verne Trophy here you can find background on the crew, the team and the event itself. Click her

As we cross the start line we will launch our dedicated website so that you can live the challenge with our real time interactive map and dashboard. We have also produced three video series that will take you behind the scenes with the team. These will be broadcast throughout the stand-by and the attempt itself.

Connect series :
Connect to the human and physical preparation of the team as they prepare for this extraordinary challenge and try to break the Jules Verne Trophy record. Come and discover behind-the-scenes as we have prepared for the record attempt: anticipating food needs, the physical and mental preparation of sailors, and analysis of weather files and routing etc.

Inspired Series :
Get inspiration from meeting the twelve crew onboard Spindrift 2 through a series of video portraits where they talk about their motivation and passion for the adventure that is the Jules Verne Trophy.

Ocean Series :
Join Dona Bertarelli as she gives us a very personal tour of the Jules Verne Trophy route, drawing on her experience to recount the highlights of this iconic course.

News, analysis, weather reports as well as photos and videos from the boat, will add to the offering.
PRESS AREA
Sign up now to our new press area to access photos, image banks, videos, onboard audio or press releases.

2017 JULES VERNE TROPHY CREW:
Yann Guichard (skipper)
Erwan Israël (navigator)
Jacques Guichard (watch captain / helm / trimmer)
Christophe Espagnon (watch captain / helm / bow)
Xavier Revil (watch captain / helm / trimmer)
François Morvan (helm / trimmer)
Antoine Carraz (helm / trimmer)
Thierry Chabagny (helm / bow)
Ewen Le Clech (helm / trimmer)
Sam Goodchild (helm / bow)
Thomas Le Breton (helm / trimmer)
Tanguy Cariou (helm / trimmer) / Erwan Le Roux (helm / trimmer)

Router: Jean-Yves Bernot

THE JULES VERNE TROPHY:
Start and finish: a line between Créac’h lighthouse (Isle of Ushant) and Lizard Point (England)
Course: non-stop around-the-world tour travelling without outside assistance via the three capes (Good Hope, Leeuwin and Horn)
Minimum distance: 21,600 nautical miles (40,000 kilometres)
Ratification: World Sailing Speed Record Council, www.sailspeedrecords.com
Time to beat: 40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes and 30 seconds
Average speed: 22,84 knots
Date of current record: January 2017
Holder: IDEC Sport, Francis Joyon and a 5-man crew

Maxi-Tri Spindrift 2 – Jules Verne Rekordversuch
www.spindrift-racing.com – Übersicht
Video von meeting
Sunday, January 08, 2016
Spindrift 2 has crossed the line at Ushant

The trimaran skippered by Yann Guichard has finished its first Jules Verne Trophy, registering the second fastest time in history, and with Dona Bertarelli becoming the fastest woman to have sailed around the world.

Note:
– Spindrift racing has finished its first voyage around the world
– Spindrift 2 crossed the line at 15:01 UTC after 47 days 10 hours 59 minutes and 02 seconds at sea
– The trimaran is expected to arrive in La Trinité-sur-Mer at around 21:00 UTC

The sailors on Spindrift 2 crossed the finish line of the Jules Verne Trophy off Ushant at 15:01 UTC on Friday, after 47 days 10 hours 59 minutes and 02 seconds at sea. After nearly 29,000 miles travelled at an average speed of 25.35 knots, Spindrift 2 completed the circle on its first voyage around the world by claiming the second fastest time in history. The crew, led by Yann Guichard, did not better, on this attempt, the time set by Loïck Peyron (they were slower by 1d 21h 16’ 09”), whose record of 45 days 13 hours 42 minutes is still the one to beat. However, they were 20 hours 45 minutes 50 seconds faster than the time set by Franck Cammas in 2010, over this always demanding course. During its high-speed journey, the black and gold trimaran also improved three record times (Ushant-Equator, Ushant-Tasmania and Ushant-Cape Horn) and held, for a few hours, the record for the crossing of the Indian Ocean. One woman among 13 men on this record attempt, and the first to complete a Jules Verne Trophy course, Dona Bertarelli is now the fastest woman to have sailed around the world.

The crew is sailing to its home port and base in La Trinité-sur-Mer and is expected to arrive there at 21:00 UTC on Friday night. They will be greeted by the public and notably the schoolchildren who shared the adventure, along with the families, friends, project partners, supporters and onshore members of this young Spindrift racing team, who have prepared a warm welcome on the harbour. After the arrival of the trimaran, the sailors will enjoy sharing a drink and some oysters with the public.
They left in the dark of night on November 22, and in the afternoon of January 8, just before sunset, the three bows of Spindrift 2 emerged from the great Atlantic swell with Dona Bertarelli, Yann Guichard, Sébastien Audigane, Antoine Carraz, Thierry Duprey du Vorsent, Christophe Espagnon, Jacques Guichard, Erwan Israël, Loïc Le Mignon, Sébastien Marsset, François Morvan, Xavier Revil, Yann Riou and Thomas Rouxel on board.

Yann Guichard, skipper: “The passage south of the Cape of Good Hope was one of the most important moments for me, but then, finishing in front of Ushant is also a relief. Not in the sense of liberation, because I wasn’t a prisoner and I really enjoyed this round-the-world voyage, but it’s time I have a little break. Of course, there was a bit of stress, but that’s part of my job.
This Jules Verne Trophy has been a series of firsts for me: going around the world, rounding the three capes, having so many days on the clock… And I really want to get back out there. The boat is perfectly adapted for this task, we’ll just need the weather to be with us. And then the South Seas, they’re magical. The Indian Ocean was rather grey, but in the Pacific we were treated to some incredible light when we went down to almost 60° South… But I’ll remember all the birds most: the albatrosses, petrels, fulmars and Cape petrels constantly following us.

My biggest fear was when we hit an unidentified object with the foil: I thought we were going to have to give up. I’m glad we’ve finished because since Cape Horn – and this goes beyond just the effect on the record attempt – the climb back up the Atlantic was as severe on the boat as on the crew.”
Dona Bertarelli, helm/trimmer: “This ascent of the Atlantic has been long, laborious, and it felt like time was standing still. Fortunately yesterday, we could feel the finish line because we passed the symbolic mark of being 500 miles from Ushant: it was a special moment and I didn’t sleep much last night because there was so much emotion and adrenaline. Completing this voyage around the world allowed me to achieve the goals I had set myself, even if we didn’t beat the record for the Jules Verne Trophy. I have no regrets because the essential thing was to get back to Ushant as quickly as possible and we did everything we could to achieve that.

The voyage was a great experience for me because we all know each other very well and everyone respected each other’s individualities. It was really nice because it’s a team of real friends. But it’s also because of having been able, somehow, to exorcise my fears, those fears of plunging into the Southern Ocean or being so far from anything. Through writing articles for the schools in France and Switzerland and continuing to communicate with the world and share my experiences, I never felt isolated or alone on this adventure.”

A first one together
The crew was able to manage a journey across the oceans for over a month and a half. The incredible experience accumulated on a voyage around the world showed that the optimisations made the previous winter have paid off: with its rigging slightly shorter but much lighter and more aerodynamically efficient, Spindrift 2 was safer in the wind and easier to handle in moderate winds, without compromising its qualities in light airs. But the three storm fronts and ridges of high pressure that cluttered the Indian Ocean after the Kerguelen Islands, the Pacific before Cape Horn, and the South Atlantic off Brazil, were too much even for the efforts and perseverance of this crew. And that is without counting an arduous climb up the Atlantic due to adverse headwinds at the latitude of Argentina and Uruguay, and an uncooperative Azores High between the Canaries and Florida. The whole Spindrift team can be proud of what has been achieved, and that they rose to the challenge and finished the journey despite the problems pitted along the way, such as breaking the lower part of the port foil in the Indian Ocean after hitting a UFO (unidentified floating object). It was a collision that caused a crack in the port hull and could have cost them the Indian Ocean record. Then, later, there was the sudden weakness in the mast (repaired at sea) off Uruguay.

Record times
The 14 sailors have set three new record times on this voyage around the world. The first came from the start at Ushant to the Equator in 4 days 21 hours 29 minutes, a staggering average of 30.33 knots on the theoretical route (the shortest route). The second, between Ushant and the South of Tasmania, symbolising the entrance into the Pacific Ocean, was 20 days 04 hours 37 minutes. Incidentally, Spindrift 2 fleetingly held the record for crossing the Indian Ocean in 8 days 04 hours 35 minutes, which was broken a few hours later by IDEC Sport, who also left from Ushant on November 22. Finally, the third record: Ushant-Cape Horn in 30 days 04 hours 07 minutes, which brought a lead of 18 hours and 11 minutes over Banque Populaire V.

The women’s record
This Jules Verne Trophy has also finished with the confirmation of Dona Bertarelli as the fastest woman to have sailed around the world. During her standby watches, she also focused on the ocean environment of a voyage around the world and shared her feelings, discoveries and logbook. And she corresponded, in particular, with 2,000 children from schools in France and Switzerland, who are partners of the Spindrift for Schools programme, to help improve their understanding of these maritime areas and the species, so often under threat, which live there.

Shared time
There has also been a lot of life experience garnered along the miles covered across three oceans. A voyage around the world is not for the faint-hearted: from suffering the coldness of the Southern Ocean, to enduring the blistering Equatorial heat, braving the icy spray hitting your face at more than 40mph, performing a succession of manoeuvres in fading and fickle winds, worrying about the approach of drift ice and being trapped with 13 other people in a 20m³ box…

Spindrift racing’s partners welcome home the sailors:
“Mirabaud would like to congratulate the crew of Spindrift 2, who have managed an exceptional round-the-world voyage. All our employees passionately followed the Jules Verne Trophy,” Antonio Palma, managing partner and CEO of Mirabaud & Cie SA.
“I congratulate Dona, Yann and their crew for having successfully completed their round-the-world voyage. I salute their courage and tenacity.” Fabio Cavalli, CEO and founder of Genes-x.
“Zenith is very proud of being a partner of Spindrift racing and of having had the opportunity to follow this exciting adventure that saw the crew establish new records,” Aldo Magada, Président & CEO of Zenith.
– HD images of Spindrift 2 crossing the finish line at Ushant are available on the Spindrift TV server. The footage is rights free and available for news usage.

– The latest news and photos from on board is available in the press area.
– For any interview request please contact Blanca López Handrich: +34 657 854 173 / blanca@seaclearcommunications.com or Sabina
Mollart Rogerson: +44 20 33 97 99 77 / sabina@seaclearcommunications.com

Key crossing times for Spindrift 2, skipper Yann Guichard
Start, Ushant: Sunday, November 22, 2015 at 04:02 UTC
Crossing the Equator: Friday, November 27 at 01:31 UTC
Time for Ushant – Equator: 4 days 21 hours 29 minutes Delta with Banque Populaire V: ahead by 17 hours 25 minutes
Crossing the longitude of Cape Agulhas: Friday, December 4 at 04:04 UTC Ushant – Cape Agulhas: 12 days 00 hours 02 minutes Delta with Banque Populaire V: behind by 12 minutes
Crossing the longitude of South East Cape, the southernmost tip of Tasmania: Saturday, December 12 at 08:39 UTC Ushant – Tasmania: 20 days 4 hours 37 minutes Cape Agulhas – Tasmania (Indian Ocean): 8 days 04 hours 35 minutes Delta with Banque Populaire V: ahead by 2 hours 34 minutes
Rounding Cape Horn: Tuesday, December 22 at 08:09 UTC Ushant – Cape Horn: 30 days 4 hours 07 minutes Delta with Banque Populaire V: ahead by 18 hours 11 minutes
Crossing the Equator: Thursday, December 31 UTC at 17:33 UTC Ushant – Equator: 39 days 13 hours 31 minutes Delta with Banque Populaire V: behind by 1 day 10 hours 46 minutes
Finish at Ushant: Friday, January 8 at 15:01 UTC Ushant start / Ushant finish: 47 Days 10 hours 59 minutes 2 seconds 28,875 miles covered at an average speed of 25.35 knots (18.96 knots on the theoretical – shortest – route) Delta with Banque Populaire V: behind by 1 day 21 hours 16 minutes 9 seconds Delta with Groupama 3 in 2010: ahead by 20 hours 45 minutes 50 seconds

THE JULES VERNE TROPHY:
Start and finish: a line between Créac’h lighthouse (Ushant island) and Lizard Point (England) Course: non-stop around-the-world tour travelling without outside assistance via the three capes (Good Hope, Leeuwin and Horn) Minimum distance: 21,600 nautical miles (40,000 kilometres) Ratification: World Sailing Speed Record Council, www.sailspeedrecords.com Time to beat: 45 days, 13 hours, 42 minutes and 53 seconds Average speed: 19.75 knots Date of current record: January 2012 Holder: Banque Populaire V, Loïck Peyron and a 13-man crew Stand-by start date for Spindrift 2: October 19th, 2015

SPINDRIFT 2 CREW:
Yann Guichard, skipper Dona Bertarelli, helmsman-trimmer Sébastien Audigane, helmsman-trimmer Antoine Carraz, helmsman-trimmer Thierry Duprey du Vorsent, helmsman-trimmer Christophe Espagnon, helmsman-bowman Jacques Guichard, helmsman-trimmer Erwan Israël, navigator Loïc Le Mignon, helmsman-trimmer Sébastien Marsset, bowman François Morvan, helmsman-trimmer Xavier Revil, helmsman-trimmer Yann Riou, onboard reporter Thomas Rouxel, helmsman-bowman Jean-Yves Bernot, onshore router

26 December 2016
Solo Round the World Record :
49 days, 3 hours, 7 minutes and 38 secondes
THOMAS COVILLE HAILED AS A HERO IN BREST

After shattering the singlehanded Round the World record, Thomas Coville made a triumphant entrance into Brest Harbour this Monday morning. Cheered by several thousand enthusiastic spectators, Thomas Coville and the Sodebo team were able to share this historic record with the crowd before responding to a Q&A session with the press. Relive the highlights of what has been a day of great human and sporting richness.
Statements from Thomas during the press conference:
“What I’d like us to retain from this record, is not necessarily the 49 days 3 hours, above all it’s the journey. I’ve fallen, I’ve picked myself up, I’ve dared. It’s ten years of work and a dream that has proven to be very hard to realise. But it’s a dream that I’ve experienced and that lives in me.”
„When we bought Sodebo, the boat Géronimo was here in Brest on the Quai du Commerce and she was a wreck. And at the point where we launched into this story, converting Geronimo into the current Sodebo, I don’t think many people believed we would end up creating the machine we have managed to make today.
The last night aboard:
„The shore crew and I came together yesterday evening after I crossed the finish line. They climbed aboard and every reaction from the team was very touching and a reflection of the spirit of this highly eclectic team. I have a very, very fine team around me, which we’ve gradually shaped with Sodebo. Today my entourage comprises people that I have chosen, whom I like very much and who are primarily very great professionals.”
„Last night I treated myself to the luxury of 4 hours sleep in a row. You simply cannot imagine what that means. In this instance, you return to the sleep of children where when you get off to sleep you have nothing else in your head other than the fact that you’re going to sleep. You don’t have an adult’s concerns cast upon you. You sleep a true sleep and it’s a sleep the likes of which you haven’t had for 30 years.”

„There was no rhythm to my sleep at all whilst I was racing. I never managed to get into any kind of routine with my sleep.”
About sailing and the notion of a record:
„As a little boy, I was more of an observer and I was contemplative and very admiring as soon as I was in the middle of nowhere. I always needed and enjoyed being outdoors. Later the appeal was all about the exploration and pioneering aspect. And on the scale of the record, the notion of a pioneer, of doing something singular and unique for the first time, is something that has had a strong impact on my being since I was a kid.”
„Some people value that in another form but on a personal level I’ve found that sport could express what I was. Added to that, in sailing, there’s a way of expressing yourself in crewed or singlehanded configuration, over a long period… It’s synonymous with an ability to be able to find what best corresponds with your singular expression.“
„It’s true to say that on record attempts, the notion of competition in relation to another is lacking and it was something I wondered about. However, what’s fabulous about a record, is the aspect of setting the bar higher, as Lavillenie (French pole vaulting champion) does today. It’s this notion that fascinates me. I think that in the life of an athlete, a record is pretty rewarding.”
Physical strength
„The intelligence involved in manœuvring this type of boat singlehanded is not just a question of physique, you also have to be smart. Knowing how to benefit from the swell to help tack the clew of the gennaker enables you to save time and energy. And the more experienced you are the more capable you are of doing it. In this round the word, I sailed as much as I did in crewed configuration. I don’t think I’ve made any fewer manœuvres than I would have if there’d been more of us aboard. The upshot of that is that we’re not far off what we can achieve in crewed configuration.“

References:
Start on 6 November at 13 hours 49 minutes and 52 seconds GMT Passage of the equator: on 12 November at 07h 04min 54s GMT Time from Ushant / Equator*: 5d 17h 15m 2s Passage of Cape of Good Hope: 20 November at 18h 33min 40s GMT Time from Ushant / Good Hope*: 14 days 4 hours 43 minutes and 48 seconds Passage of Cape Leeuwin: on 27 November at 16:59 GMT Time from Ushant / Cape Leeuwin: 21 days 3 hours 9 min and 8s Indian Ocean Record* (Cape Agulhas /Tasmania): 8d 12h 19m on 29 November at 06:51 GMT or 23h 47min faster than the previous record set by Francis Joyon in 2007 (9d 12h 6min) Average speed: 25.16 knots for 5,325 miles Time from Ushant / Tasmania: 22d 17h 1m 23s – or a lead of 2 days 5 hours 4 mins over the record set by Francis Joyon Pacific Ocean record* (Tasmania/Cape Horn): 8d 18h 28m 30s or 1 day 19h 58min better than the previous record set by Francis Joyon in 2007 (10d 14h 26min) Time from Ushant / Cape Horn: 31d 11h 30m 8s – Or a lead of 4 days and 59 mins over Francis Joyon’s record Record Equator/Equator: 35 days 21 hours 38 min 6 sec – Or 5 days 11 hours 36 minutes better Time to beat: 57 days 13 hours and 34 minutes, Which equates to a finish before 3 January 2017 at 03 hours 22 min and 57 sec GMT. *awaiting WSSRC confirmation

Crédit Jean-Marie Liot /DPPI / Sodebo
The newsroom for tracking the record: https://www.newsroom.sodebo.com/
www.sodebo.fr/voile