Jules Verne Trophy - New Year's Eve on the equator

by Spindrift Racing on 31 Dec 2015 Jules Verne Trophy - We know what to wish Spindrift 2 for the start of 2016: good weather in the North Atlantic for a faster, more direct route than the large detour west that the current Jules Verne Trophy record holder had to take.

A day before crossing the equator for the second time as she sails back up the Atlantic Ocean, Spindrift 2 has enjoyed stronger south-east trade winds than expected and has just entered the doldrums, which are being rather kind. The crew will enter the northern hemisphere during New Year’s Eve, before enjoying strong, sustained, north-easterly trade winds, a more benign Azores High than four years ago, and a succession of favourable lows above Europe, but there are still 4,000 nautical miles to go to Ushant, and with one week left, the result still hangs in the balance.

Day 39 – 16h00 GMT

• 750.9 nm behind the current record holder Banque Populaire V
• Distance covered from the start: 23,328.5 milles
• Average speed over 24 hours: 20.6 knots
• Distance over 24 hours: 494.3 nm