New records for Orange II

by Orange media on 7 Mar 2005 Bruno Peyron’s crew on Orange II crossed the Equator for the second time on their round the world voyage on Sunday 6th March at 05.08 GMT, so are back in the North Atlantic about to tackle the final stretch towards Ushant.

Sailing at 16 knots, Orange II still has 3400 nautical miles left to cover to complete her round the world voyage.

In doing so, Peyron will attempt to improve on the outright round the world speed record set by Steve Fossett’s Cheyenne last year. Fossett has just broken another record – round the world flying.

As she crossed the Equator, Orange II set three new intermediary records, including an official one for the journey from the Equator to the Equator.

The French catamaran, which set out on 24th January 2005, returns to the North Atlantic after 10 days, 19 hours and 5 minutes of sailing at an average speed of 22 knots.

She was thus 9 days and 8 hours ahead of the record time set by the American catamaran for the journey between Ushant and the second Equator crossing.

Peyron’s charge was also faster than Cheyenne on the leg from Cape Horn to the Equator. Bruno Peyron’s crew took 8 days, 5 hours and 36 minutes between these two points, improving by 2 days and 5 hours on the time taken by the American crew last year.

Finally, there is a third record that has been set by Orange II, according to the WSSRC rules 2005-2008. After the Indian and South Pacific crossing records, the orange catamaran should be given the new reference time between the two Equators via the three Capes; Good Hope, Leeuwin and Horn.

This new time, which should be validated by the WSSRC, is 33 days, 16 hours and 9 minutes, or 8 days and 5 hours better than Cheyenne on the same stretch.

It is with a lead of 9 days and 8 hours over the outright record that Orange II is tackling the final leg between the Equator and Ushant this morning.

One year ago, Cheyenne covered this distance in a record time of 8 days and 6 hours in exceptional weather conditions. The Americans were able to take the direct route to reach Ushant, while Orange II, this year, looks like having to take the long way around via the north-west, as a high-pressure area is blocking their path.

Equator crossing times

Ushant – 2nd Equator

Record time : Orange II (Peyron 2005) in 40 days 19 hours 05 minutes

Previous : Cheyenne (Fossett 2004) in 50 days 03 hours 02 minutes

Cape Horn – Equator

Record time : Orange II (Peyron 2005) in 8 days 05 hours 36 minutes

Previous : Cheyenne (Fossett 2004) in 10 days 10 hours 47 minutes

Equator – 2nd Equator (WSSRC Equator record)

Record: Orange II (Peyron 2005) in 33 days 16 hours 09 minutes

Previous : Cheyenne (Fossett 2004) in 41 days 21 hours 34 minutes

Website: http://www.maxicatamaran-orange.com