Today the Challenge and Adventure team had the pleasure of visiting Francis Joyon onboard IDEC. The current solo Round the World Record holder and former Transatlantic Record holder is in New York to attempt to set a new Transatlantic Record. He arrived in New York last night to make final preparations on his Maxi Trimaran IDEC. His bright red boat patiently waits at Gateway Marina to loose her lines and take him on another record breaking adventure.
It looks like it’s a green light for Joyon to leave tomorrow (Sunday) night for his Solo Transatlantic record attempt. Joyon wants to take this record back from Thomas Coville who currently holds the record that Francis Joyon owned from 2005-2008. The time to beat is 5 days 19 hours 29 minutes and 20 seconds. Joyon’s weather router-navigator, Jean-Yves Bernot, has spied a window for Sunday evening with a front moving off the East Coast of the USA to push him across the start. Joyon will leave New York and start the clock at the buoy, which recently replaced the legendary Ambrose Light Tower, a few miles off the New York Coast and finish the crossing at The Lizard.
A quiet air of confidence is displayed by the the skipper as bounces around the boat doing last minute checks of gear and stores for the crossing. He restocked some fruit and water in addition Freeze-dried food already on board. Her bottom is smooth, he dove on her this morning but he says he may dive again once more just to make sure. Francis Joyon has waited nearly 6 weeks for this window and three years for the opportunity and he is set to make the most out of it. He seems very ready and so does the boat. This new IDEC is about 20 percent faster than the older and that is a plus for shaving off time he needs to take the record.
We spoke about the first IDEC and his Atlantic record that ended with his getting the record, but loosing his beloved boat when after crossing the finish he crashed it on rocks after falling asleep delivering her home. He still misses that boat he said. Joyon said that during the crossing for the record he only had 6 hours sleep in 5 days. He will try to rest before this start he says. He finds it hard to sleep with planes flying overhead he adds. He sleeps best out to sea away from the noises of land and man.
As the current Solo Round the World Sailing Record holder he has set the bar very high for any challengers and it looks like it may be some time before he has to defend that title. But, when asked what he would do if someone did break his record. He said without hesitation he would go around again to take it back. Like I said quietly confident.
Bon Voyage Francis
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Pascal Bidegorry Skipper of Maxi Trimaran Banque Populaire V (Photo by B. Stichelbaut / BPCE)
The names of the winners of the 2009 Ocean Records World Championship are now known. In the crewed category, Pascal Bidégorry is the new champion thanks to his great achievement this summer with the crew of the Banque Populaire V trimaran in the Atlantic. In the single-handed category, after Francis Joyon in 2008, it is now Thomas Coville, who deservedly takes this award after completing a round the world voyage in 59 days.
Thomas Coille, Skipper of Sodebo Transatlantic Record (Photo by Daniel Forster / DPPI)
The Ocean Records World Championship, which brings together all the major historic sailing records – over twenty routes in all – has delivered its verdict for 2009. In the final rankings based on each record being given a coefficient of one to ten according to its length and difficulty, the big winners in 2009 are Pascal Bidégorry in the crewed category and Thomas Coville for the single-handed sailors.
The North Atlantic and 24 hour record smashed
Pascal Bidégorry and his men have won the title of world champions thanks to the records set by the maxi-trimaran Banque Populaire V in the Atlantic. To remind you of their incredible feat, they crossed the ocean averaging 32.94 knots with a time of 3 days, 15 hours, 25 minutes and 48 seconds… They also smashed the 24-hour record and in so doing went through two symbolic barriers: the 800-mile and then the 900-mile barrier … In fact the giant trimaran Banque Populaire V sailed 908 miles in just one day.
North Atlantic Record Holder Banque Populaire V, Skippered by Pascal Bidegorry (Photo by B. Stichelbaut / BPCE)
Looking at the solo sailors, after Francis Joyon in 2008 and his 57-day round the world record, it is Thomas Coville, who takes the title of 2009 World Champion, thanks to his non-stop single-handed round the world voyage completed in a time of 59 days, 20 hours, 47 minutes and 43 seconds, the second best time ever. Thomas Coville did not manage to better Francis Joyon’s record, but achieved a remarkable performance, for which he has quite naturally been rewarded with this title of 2009 World Champion. We can note that this is the second time Thomas Coville has won this title as he was already proclaimed world champion for the first time back in 2006.
The reactions of the champions:
Pascal Bidégorry:
“Receiving this title of World Champion during the first year of sailing this boat is obviously a great pleasure. It is an honour for all those, who sail on the maxi Banque Populaire V… and I hope it won’t be the last! I hope too that there will be more and more of us battling it out in this championship in the coming years. It’s great that such rankings exist. We’ll see about next year, but if we get it thanks to the Jules Verne Trophy, I won’t be complaining!”
Thomas Coville:
“Even if I always put this sort of honour into perspective – my real goal is to make another attempt at the single-handed round the world record next year- it’s really nice to be recognised in this way. The points system means that attempts are honoured. When a pole-vaulter jumps, we always expect him to beat Bubka’s world record and he tends to be forgotten if he doesn’t do that, even if he achieves the best performance of the year… »
Sodebo Thomas Coville (Photo by Jean Marie Liot / DPPI)
Reminder of the winners since the Ocean Records World Championship was set up:
Crewed:
2008 : Lionel Lemonchois
2007 : Franck Cammas
2006 : Bruno Peyron
2005 : Bruno Peyron
2004 : Steve Fossett
Single-handed:
2008 : Francis Joyon
2007 : Francis Joyon
2006 : Thomas Coville
2005 : Ellen MacArthur
2004 : Francis Joyon
Banque Populaire V On Standby (Photo by BPCE/Benoit Stichelbaut)
Role : Bowman
Other : in charge of security
Role : Bowman
Other : in charge of the hydraulic mechanic and fittings
Role : Helmsman / Trimmer
Other : Vidéo
Role : Watch leader, Helmsman / Trimmer
Other : sails
Role : Watch leader Helmsman / Trimmer
Other : in charge of the video and composite
Role : Watch leader, Helmsman / Trimmer
Other : in charge of the medical
Role : Helmsman / Trimmer
Other : in charge of the electronics
Role : Bowman
Other : in charge of the composite and fitting
Role : Bowman
Other : In charge of the medical and rigging
Role : Helmsman / Trimmer
Other : food on board
Role : Helmsman / Trimmer
Role : Weather Router, Navigator
Banque Populaire V During Record Crossing (Photo by Team Banque Populaire V)
Banque Populaire V During Record Crossing (Photo by Team Banque Populaire V)
Pascal Bidégorry and his crew of 11 men aboard the maxi trimaran Banque Populaire V, smashed the Transatlantic Record crossing the North Atlantic,by half a day. They also broke the 24hr record with 908 miles.
Groupama 3 also broke their own record set in 2007.
THE ATLANTIC CROSSING RECORD
The first record time for sailing across the North Atlantic was established by the ATLANTIC schooner, a 56 m long three-masted vessel skippered by the famous American captain Charlie Barr in 1905, in more than 12 days. For 75 years this record was not beaten.
Eric Tabarly was to be the first person to smash it in 1980 aboard his trimaran PAUL RICARD, cutting the time to 10 days.
Marc Pajot (ELF AQUITAINE I), Patrick Morvan (JET SERVICES II), Loïc Caradec & Philippe Facques (ROYALE II), Philippe Poupon (FLEURY MICHON VIII), then Serge Madec (JET SERVICES V) each in turn reduceD the time, the latter having achieved the crossing in 6 days 13h 3mn and 32s in June 1990 at an average speed of 18.42 knots. This record was to remain in everyone’s mind, as it stood for more than 10 years.
We had to wait for the new generation of maxi-catamarans built for The Race for the record held by JET SERVICES V to be smashed. It was beaten on 10th October 2001 by the American Steve Fossett aboard his 38 m maxi-catamaran PLAYSTATION in 4 days, 17 hours, 28 mn and 6s, at an incredible average speed of 25.78 knots.
Bruno Peyron and his Orange II crew smashed Fossett’s record aboard the maxi catamaran Orange II, finishing the course from Ambrose Light near New York City to Lizard Point off the southwestern tip of Great Britain in just 4 days, 8 hours, 23 minutes and 54 seconds – more than 9 hours faster than Fossett. Halfway through the 3,100 nautical mile trip, Orange II hit a submerged iceberg and broke one of its two steering rudders.
The Orange II Dream Team improved on the record set by Steve Fossett’s PlayStation by 9 hours 4 minutes and 12 seconds, a record that was said to be unbeatable.
Next was 105 foot trimaran Groupama III , in 2007
With an almost unbelievable time of 4 days, 3 hours, 57 minutes and 54 seconds, beating Bruno Peyron’s time on Orange II by almost 5 hours.
Today in 2009 that record has been shattered again.
Prelimary times until ratified are,
Groupama 3, – 3 days 18 hrs, 12 min, 58 secs – average speed 31.92 kts
Banque Populaire V,- 3 days, 15 hrs,25 min,48 secs, average speed 32.94 kts, peak speed 47.15 kts,
24 Hour Record, 908 mile, average speed of 37.8 kts
1905 – Charlie Barr – Atlantic – USA – 12d 4h 1m – 10.02 kts
1980 – Eric Tabarly – Paul Ricard – FRA – 10d 5h 14m – 11.93 kts
1981 – Marc Pajot Elf – Aquitaine – FRA – 9d 10h 6m – 12.94 kts
1984 – Patrick Morvan – Jet Services II – FRA 8d 16h 33m – 14.03 kts
1986 – Loïc Caradec – Royale II – FRA – 7d 21h 5m – 15.47 kts
1987 – Philippe Poupon – Fleury Michon VIII – FRA – 7d 12h 50m – 16.18 kts
1988 – Serge Madec – Jet Services V – FRA -7d 6h 30m – 16.76 kts
1990 – Serge Madec – Jet Services V – FRA – 6d 13h 3m – 18.62 kts
2001 – Steve Fossett – PlayStation – USA – 4d 17h 28m 6s – 25.78 kts
2006 – Bruno Peyron – Orange II – FRA – 4d 8h 23m 54s – 28 kts
2007 – Franck Cammas – Groupama 3 – FRA – 4d 3h 57m 54s – 29.26 kts
Challenge and Adcenture's George Bekris On Board Banque Populaiire Prior To Record Breaking Crossing (Photo by Donna Erichsen)
Banque Populaire V Crew Before Breaking The North Atlantic Record (Photo by Team Banque Populaire)
Groupama 3 Finishing Atlantic Crossing (Photo by Alex Julian)
Challenge and Adventure's George Bekris onboard Groupama 3 (Photo by Donna Erichsen)
