05.05.2002
NEWS FROM OFFSHORE CHALLENGES SAILING TEAM to Dr Krumnacker
Segel.de
Europe based Australian sailor Nick Moloney and a crew of 12 Frenchmen became the fastest sailors around the planet Earth, as the giant 110 foot catamaran 'Orange', reached the finish line in 64 days 8 hrs 37 mins to break the Jules Verne record to sail fastest around the planet. Orange smashed the 71-day record set by Frenchman Olivier de Kersauson on Sport Elec in 1997 by over a week.
For the Orange crew led by Frenchman Bruno Peyron it has been a
tough, exhausting and at times dangerous circumnavigation - deep in the
Southern Ocean Orange encountered huge icebergs and just 14 days ago the
towering mast was in danger of crashing down as the ball supporting the mast
cracked. For Moloney it is a triumphant return:
"I am absolutely stoked that we have pulled this off," said Moloney. "The
guys were fantastic and even when we had major problems with the mast we
never gave up." [ Audio file available from 2300 at http://64.23.31.215/cgi-bin/ftp/1/NICK_ORANGE_UK ]
Nick Moloney, a member of Ellen MacArthur's Sailing Team has now achieved 2 of the 3 lifetime goals he set himself nearly a decade ago - to sail fully crewed in the Whitbread Round the World race which he did with Dennis Conner on Toshiba; to race with a crew non-stop round the world which he has just done on Orange; and now there is only one goal left - to do it alone in the non-stop round the world Vendée Globe race.
"It's hard right now to believe that I have just scored my second goal!"
said Moloney. "But it just motivates me even more to be on the start line in
2004 for the non-stop solo Vendée Globe race - perhaps the toughest
challenge any sailor can face. I certainly won't be alone - the team on shore have been great throughout this Jules Verne, and I look forward to the next challenge together"
Moloney's efforts and that of the Orange crew have been monitored by
thousands of supporters including the Australian Embassy and the Australian
High Commission. Messages have been pouring in every day from all over the world to nickrace@offshorechallenges.com
Nick Moloney is a key part of Ellen MacArthur's Offshore Challenges Sailing Team. A record-breaker herself, MacArthur competed in the last Vendée Globe to become the fastest woman around the planet. Offshore Challenges Sailing Team will be managing Moloney's Vendée Globe project.
For further information http://www.nickmoloney.com
Distance sailed approximately 28,000 miles (approx 4,000 miles further than the theoretic shortest distance), at an average of just over 18 knots.
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