Jour 3 – Route de la Découverte – Maxi Solo…

Armel Le Cléac’h and the maxi trimaran Banque Populaire VII Solo have set a new singlehanded distance sailing record for the distance sailed in 24 hours.

The new record mark (yet to be ratified by the World Speed Sailing Council) for sailing 24 hours alone is 677nm or 1253 km at a stunning 28.20 knots average speed.

The record was set as part of a longer distance record attempt on the Discovery Route between Cadiz (Spain) and San Salvador (Bahamas ).

Currently Armel Le Cléac’h is in a position which is 311.3 miles ahead of the reference path. But there is still 2283.5 miles to sail before Banque Populaire finishes the course.

Le Cléac’h was naturally thrilled to have set a new record. ‘It’s perfect, it’s great! ‘ he said. ‘The distance record is beaten in 24 hours! From the Canary Islands, the conditions are conducive to speed even if I remain cautious. The sea is in the right direction and my trimaran is almost as fast as the wind (about 30 knots) while I’m still on the same side. This record was one of our goals on the Discovery Route from late May or between New York and the Lizard. Today, it is in the pocket. ‘

The previous 24 hour mark was set by Francis Joyon at 666.2 miles. The Discovery Route course is 3884 miles and the record is also held by Francis Joyon since February 2013 8d 16h 07m ’05secs, or 18.66 knots average .

Last week, during a drive off Lorient for the Transat Jacques Vabre, the MOD 70 Virbac Paprec 70 capsized in 15 to 20 knots wind.

Jean-Pierre Dick, skipper of Virbac Paprec at the time of the accident, made a fall of 15 meters and suffers back injuries.

The accident was caused by an helicopter who was filming the trimaran, it shows the risks of barring a a 21 meters trimaran.

An animation of the route for 2014/15 edition of the world’s toughest sailingrace.

Read More

1. Surf’s up

The full exhilaration of ocean racing is felt as Visit Finland, an entry in
the Clipper 2011-12 Race, surfs down a wave at 27 knots.

Heading toward the Race 9 finish line, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Finnish
team experienced a huge surf after crossing the Pacific Ocean spending 30
days at sea in the race from Qingdao, China, to Oakland, San Francisco Bay.

The Pacific Leg is one of the toughest and most testing for amateur crews who
spend over a month at sea in extreme conditions, crossing the International
Date Line in the process.
Read More

The father and son team from Cherbourg, France sailing the JPK 1010 Night n Day have won the overall Fastnet Challenge Trophy on handicap, some 33 minutes ahead on corrected time of another JPK 1010 Foggy Dew in second. This is the first time in the Rolex Fastnet Race’s 88 year history that a two-handed entry has won.

On July 6th 2013 a group of sailors are going to do something that has never been done before … participate in the first ever Mini 650 Pacific Challenge. Read More

A 10 heures 05 précisément, Jean Coadou, président du comité de course des M 34 a lancé la 35ème édition du Spi Ouest-France – Intermarché. Read More