The 32-metre maxi-trimaran Sodebo Ultim 3 has set a new record for the Jules Verne Trophy. The non-stop circumnavigation challenge was completed by the racing multihull and its seven crew in 40 days, 10 hours and 45 minutes.
The previous race record was set by the 31.5-metre IDEC Sport in 2017, with Sodebo Ultim 3 surpassing the previous winning time of 40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes and 30 seconds by 12 hours and 44 minutes.
Despite bad weather conditions causing detours, obstacles and some damage to the sails, the crew travelled 28,315 miles non-stop at an average speed of 27 knots to achieve the new record, which included a finish line sprint at almost 40 knots. According to reports, it has taken nine years and 13 attempts for the offshore racing record to be broken.
The maxi-trimaran was skippered by esteemed French yacht racer Thomas Coville, who worked alongside fellow crewmates Benjamin Schwartz, Frédéric Denis, Pierre Leboucher, Léonard Legrand and Guillaume Pirouelle to achieve the record-breaking time.
The first Jules Verne Trophy was awarded to the first yacht that sailed around the world in less than 80 days - the award's name a reference to the Jules Verne novel Around the World in Eighty Days. Competing boats must be propelled solely by the wind and the crew, though the trophy is open to any type of boat and any number of crew.
Both record-breaking multihulls were built by French shipyard Multiplast, though IDEC Sport was delivered 13 years prior to Sodebo Ultim 3, which departed the yard in 2019. IDEC Sport was also constructed in GRP to a design by VPLP Design, while Sodebo Ultim 3 features an all-composite, in-house build.
According to the design team, Sodebo Ultim 3 is packed with innovations, including the movement of the living quarters forward to experience less rolling. The cockpit was also moved forward of the mast to prevent constraints on the boom's height for better power distribution, and her mast is also one metre shorter than the previous Ultim build. Other features include five custom sails ranging from 92 to 420 square metres.
"This achievement is the culmination of the wonderful story we've been writing with Thomas for the past 27 years," said co-president of Sodebo, Patricia Brochard. "[The crew] have moved forward and grown together, just like our employees who are committed to growing Sodebo."
Sodebo is a renowned brand in the French food industry, with its range of products sold throughout the country. According to the racing team, Sodebo has been committed to offshore racing since 1998, with its racing team attempting to break the record four times in the last six years.
For Thomas Coville, this marks the third time that he has set a Jules Verne record as crew, previously taking the win in 1997 on Sport Elec in 71 days, and the second in 2010 on Groupama 3 in 48 days. He added: "A project like this is a lifelong endeavour. You see the years go by, the setbacks, the building, all leading up to this holy grail. When you achieve it with people from different backgrounds who are willing to fight with the same passion and determination, it's fantastic. You experience something like that very rarely in a lifetime."
Read More/34m Baltic sailing yacht Raven sets new Transatlantic Race record