The Spindrift 2 sailing team confirm that they will leave in the next 24 hours to start their attempt on the Jules Verne Trophy round-the-world record.
After analysing the latest weather files this morning, Dona Bertarelli, Yann Guichard and their team confirmed a start from Ushant in the next 24 hours on their round-the-world record attempt for the Jules Verne Trophy (the time to beat: 45 days, 13 hours 42 minutes and 53 seconds). The wind is currently blowing at over 120 km/hour (75mph) at Pointe Bretagne with 5-metre waves. The skipper and the routing experts are now refining when the team will cast off from Brest (Malbert’s quay), but the likelihood is that the trimaran will cross the startline tonight.
Yann Guichard: “This is a good window and we can’t let it pass. We’ve decided to leave Brest in the next few hours with a start on the round-the-world imminent sometime in the night from Saturday to Sunday. The North Atlantic descent will be fast – around five days to the equator. The conditions in the Bay of Biscay and during the first 36 hours will be really difficult. It’s going to make it fast downwind and that’s what we were looking for.”
Dona Bertarelli: “We went to code green after seeing the latest weather file this morning, with a start tonight in tough conditions. We’ll have to look after body and boat. There are still some uncertainties in the South Atlantic, where the weather models differ slightly, but we’re seizing our chance because we can’t ignore a window like this.”
THE JULES VERNE TROPHY:
Start and finish: a line between Créac’h lighthouse (Ushant island) and Lizard Point (England)
Course: non-stop around-the-world tour travelling without outside assistance via the three capes (Good Hope, Leeuwin and Horn)
Minimum distance: 21,600 nautical miles (40,000 kilometres)
Ratification: World Sailing Speed Record Council, www.sailspeedrecords.
Time to beat: 45 days, 13 hours, 42 minutes and 53 seconds
Average speed: 19.75 knots
Date of current record: January 2012
Holder: Banque Populaire V, Loïck Peyron and a 13-man crew
Stand-by start date for Spindrift 2: October 19th, 2015
