There are 4,731,777 minutes between the old and the new record. Or almost 78,863 hours. Almost 3286 days. The long wait for a new best time in the battle for the Jules Verne Trophy explains part of the exuberant reaction to the fabulous world record with which Thomas Coville and his "Sodeboys" crossed the finish line off Brest on 25 January. They sailed around the world in 40 days, 10 hours, 45 minutes and 50 seconds - a fantastic achievement.
They shaved almost 13 hours off the previous record set by "Idec Sport" in 2017. After the triumphant journey through the Rade de Brest, the seven-strong team with skipper Thomas Coville, co-skipper Benjamin Schwartz, Frédéric Denis, Pierre Leboucher, Léonard Legrand, Guillaume Pirouelle and Nicolas Troussel received a stormy and emotional welcome from the team, families, fans and also the very emotional project partners on 25 January at the Quai Malbert in the port of Brest.
The Jules Verne Trophy: the pride of the "Sodegirls"
Patricia Brochard, Marie-Laurence Gouraud and Bénédicte Mercier were particularly likeable at the moving reception. The three sisters are now at the helm of the family delicatessen Sodebo, which was founded in 1973 by their parents Simone and Joseph Bougro, who were also celebrating in Brest on Sunday. Sodebo has been supporting skipper Thomas Coville in his record attempts and regattas for 28 years. In the jubilation of Brest, Marie-Laurence Gouraud said almost in tears: "There are so many emotions. There is so, so much joy, immense pride in this team."
It's out of this world!" Marie-Laurence Gouraud
Bénédicte Mercier said: "Thank you so much for wearing Sodebo's colours. It's fabulous." As the third sister in the Sodebo Co-President trio, Patricia Brochard said when asked what went through her mind when the team crossed the finish line: "An immense feeling of happiness. Relief too, because the crew had experienced some difficult days. I don't think anyone would have liked to be where they were: This refers to the storm final). Nevertheless, they have made it and are now a huge source of pride."
Patricia Brochard also said: "I'm delighted for the sailors, their families, for the team and for everyone at Team Sodebo. We are very proud!" She described the crew as a "close-knit team". Everyone on board has "their own personality, their own skills, but above all complete solidarity. It's breathtaking". According to Brochard, the will to succeed was huge throughout Team Sodebo.
The persistent one: Thomas Coville bows to his crew
All three Sodebo sisters feel that sharing this journey with the sailing racing team, as Patricia Brochard put it, is like "a treasure" after the outstanding performance and the record. The way in which the team shared their record-breaking trip around the world with everyone was unique: "We were all able to experience this together and will now celebrate it together."
Thomas Coville is the sporting conductor of this feat. Skipper of Team Sodebo since 1999, the 57-year-old has now completed his tenth circumnavigation. He has completed five of them solo and eight on multihulls. He has even passed Cape Horn twelve times. In 1997, Coville had already won the Jule Verne Trophy once before alongside Olivier de Kersauson. In our first record report you will find an overview of all ten winning crews of the Jules Verne Tropyhy.
Team Sodebo has now broken the record in the battle for the Jules Verne Trophy at the fourth attempt. The likeable ocean lover thanked his crew, his team, for his success. He knows: "It takes years of work, years of resilience. I think the Jules Verne Trophy is my grail. And each of my crew members is unique and unmistakable."
"Sodeboys": on average just under 42 years old
Thomas Coville described winning the Jules Verne Trophy as "fantastic". Also because the record was achieved by seven people from different backgrounds and with different motivations, who "talked transparently about everything on board and trusted each other one hundred per cent". In other words: "If one of us makes a mistake, we're all dead."
Every crew member, including the youngsters, showed decisive leadership qualities at key moments. "They brought the best they had on board," says Thomas Coville. The average age of the "Sodebo Ultim 3" crew on the record-breaking voyage was just under 42. The youngest were 30-year-old Léonard Legrand and Class 40 ace Guillaume Priouelle. Turning to his crew, Thomas Coville said: "Messieurs: merci!"
And how did the dethroned record holder of the Jules Verne Trophy react? Francis Joyon, whose team on "Idec Sport" had held the record for almost nine years since 26 January 2017, congratulated Team Sodebo and told the French daily newspaper Ouest France: "Everyone in my team is very happy for Thomas and his crew." At the same time, Joyon - currently looking for partners for a new project - announced that he wanted to set sail again and try to win back the Jules Verne Trophy.
Jules Verne Trophy: "the French art of seafaring"
The response to the record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe was euphoric, particularly in France, but also elsewhere. Ouest France wrote: "Thomas Coville and his Sodeboys are the new Jules Verne heroes". The FAZ noted: "Jules Verne Trophy: record for the fastest circumnavigation of the world broken." Thomas Coville's companion Nico Troussell said after mastering 28,315 nautical miles full of obstacles, setbacks, highs and best times at the great capes: "This record could last a long time."
French President Emmanuel Macron commented enthusiastically on his compatriots' record at X, writing: "From Jules Verne to Thomas Coville. From circumnavigating the world in 80 days to circumnavigating the world in 40 days. The French art of seafaring at the highest level. Congratulations to Thomas Coville and his crew, who have just broken the absolute record for the fastest circumnavigation of the world by sailing boat in 40 days, 10 hours and 45 minutes in the Jules Verne Trophy."
An extraordinary achievement. French pride." Emmanuel Macron
The guardians of the Jules Verne Trophy themselves also bowed to the new record holders and noted what many said on 25 January: "Sodebo is an incredible collective success." It was made possible by the seven sailors on board, the routing group, the technical team on land and all the supporters in Team Sodebo Voile. The World Sailing Association put it in a nutshell: "Sodebo will be the fastest boat ever to sail around the world."
