Jules Verne Trophy is now held by Groupama which has beaten the round the world record under sail via the three capes, circling the World in 48 days, 7 hours, 44 mts (an average actual speed of 24.6 knts and 28,523 sailed miles whilst the official optimum course amounts to 21,760 miles) after 2 failed attempts.
Setting out on 31st January 2010 whilst the weather `window' was not particularly favourable, how a few days at 25/30kts changes a 600+ mile deficit (so about 1 day in relation to the 2005 reference time of Bruno Peyron's Orange2) thanks to a dazzling final sprint from the Equator, to lowering record by 2 days!
Congratulations to Franck Cammas the skipper, Stan Honey the navigator and all the other members of the crew (watch leaders Fred Le Peutrec and Steve Ravussin, helmsmen/trimmers Loïc Le Mignon, Thomas Coville and Lionel Lemonchois, and the three bowmen Bruno Jeanjean, Ronan Le Goff and Jacques Caraës, supported on shore by router Sylvain Mondon)
Thomas Coville, back on the team spirit that reigned aboard Groupama 3 : "We gave our opinion when it was requested or when we had something to contribute to the group, but overall we had a respect for the decision which had been taken. Decision team was especially Stan and Frank. We were in complete confidence. There are times when maybe we would have personally done differently. But the force we have had was to have a group that acted as a group and not by ego. When one has a different view, it is sometimes important not to show or to assert in order to enable the group to be right. We have all respected that so Frank and Stan were in the best condition to take the best decisions."
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