If you thought the leaders of the Vendée Globe fleet were travelling fast, then you can imagine the speed of the current Jules Verne record attempt by Thomas Coville's sailing team Sodebo to be that of a rocket: The trimaran "Sodebo Ultim 3" passed the starting line for the circumnavigation eleven and a half days ago on 25 November and is expected to cross the longitude of the Cape of Good Hope today. The eight-man crew will pass under the centre of the Vendée Globe at around 50 degrees south latitude. The pace is breathtaking: overnight, 52-year-old skipper Thomas Coville's team has already broken the existing record of 870 nautical miles in 24 hours, set by the Banque Populaire V team in 2009 with 908.2 nautical miles. On St Nicholas' morning, the Sodebo team had also extended its theoretical lead over the Jules Verne record holders from "Idec Sport" to 613 nautical miles and, with this cushion, is heading for an imminent dip into the Indian Ocean.
Members of the Sodebo sailing team are boat captain François Duguet, Brit Sam Goodchild as trimmer, Frenchmen Corentin Horeau (trimmer), François Morvan (helmsman/trimmer), Thomas Rouxel (helmsman/trimmer), Matthieu Vandame (trimmer) and Anbord reporter Martin Keruzoré, who has just won the Mirabaud Video Prize of the Century. Skipper Coville has been the first man of choice for his sponsor Sodebo since 1998. In the 22nd year of this loyal partnership, Coville is once again chasing the Jules Verne trophy - this time as skipper of his own team. Coville has already circumnavigated the world under sail eight times. The majority of his previous voyages were completed alone or as a duo, making him one of the most experienced players on the oceans, which Coville's furious crew currently shares with the soloists in the Vendée Globe. Coville says: "I live in this world of the Jules Verne Trophy. It has changed my life."
The moving images already gave a foretaste of what the eight men had in store for their record attempt
Coville says of the gigantic Ultim-class foiling trimarans: "It's fantastic! We are ushering in a new era. We are discovering the world of flying at sea, which previously seemed inaccessible and is now becoming a new world." Coville never left any doubt about his team's dream goal for the current record journey: "It is possible to beat the mythical barrier of 40 days. We have a rendezvous with history." Originally, the record attempt was even supposed to be a long-distance duel with the Gitana team of Franck Cammas and Charles Caudrelier, but their team had to turn back a week after their start due to a collision with a "UFO" in the starting harbour. The skippers have announced a new record attempt with their "Maxi Edmond de Rothschild" once the necessary repairs have been completed.
An overview of the teams in the Jules Verne record history in pursuit of the fastest time around the world for teams under sail
