After damage at the beginning of December, François Gabart left again. The skipper and his crew are trying to beat a legendary record, that of the Jules Verne trophy. They challenge the ocean with their maxi-trimaran. Francis Joyon’s time remains the target to beat.
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A new beginning. This Thursday, December 19 at 1:18 a.m., François Gabart and his maxi-trimaran SVR-Lazartigue crossed the line off Ouessant. Objective ? Complete a crewed round-the-world trip, non-stop, in less than 40 days. The challenge: to dethrone the record established by Francis Joyon and his crew in 2017.
The starting line, drawn between the Créac’h lighthouse on the island of Ouessant and that of Cape Lizard, marks the start of a breathtaking adventure. A new attempt after a first aborted attempt at the beginning of December.
Last November 30, François Gabart already set off with his team. But three days later, the race came to an abrupt end. Damage to a starboard foil, caused by a collision with an unidentified object, forced the giant of the seas to turn around. The SVR-Lazartigue then joined Concarneau for express repairs.
Read: U-turn for François Gabart and his SVR-Lazartigue crew, after foil damage
The crew endured the disappointment but did not give up. In a press release, they reiterated their determination: to leave again, repair, try again. This was just one step in their quest.
The Jules Verne Trophy is not just a question of numbers. Less than 40 days, yes, but also a human story. François Gabart, surrounded himself with five sailors, Tom Laperche, Amélie Grassi, Antoine Gautier, Émilien Lavigne and Pascal Bidégorry.
For François Gabart, already holder of the solo world record (42 days, 16 hours and 40 minutes), this adventure has another flavor. Six navigators united by a common ambition: to leave their mark in the history of the oceans.
The Jules Verne Trophy, imagined in the 1980s, embodies a childhood dream: to travel around the world faster than the legendary Phileas Fogg. Since Bruno Peyron’s first feat in 1993 (79 days), the bar has continued to be pushed back.
For François Gabart and his team, the time has come. Facing them, immense challenges: capricious seas, unpredictable winds, and the fight against time. But in every wave, a promise. The hope of crossing the finish line in less than 40 days.
It’s not just a race anymore. It is a journey and a human adventure. You can follow the crew’s position in relation to Francis Joyon’s record on this map updated in real time.
