Geronimo record attempt starts today

by Event/Sail-World on 26 Jul 2005 Following his Around Australia record-breaking run, Olivier de Kersauson has prepared his Capgemini and Schneider Electric trimaran, Geronimo, for more record attempts in the Pacific, starting today.

The 100 foot multihull will head from Sydney, to Papeete in Tahiti, then onto the west coast of the USA. Having set a record for The Challenge of 17 days, 13 hours, 32 minutes and 39 seconds for the circumnavigation of Australia, de Kersauson now plans to attempt a number of records within the Asia Pacific region over the next few months.

The Tahiti Nui Challenge will set a new benchmark record, following the rules of the World Sailing Speed Record Council, for a Sydney to Tahiti passage. The start will be a transit line from Hornby Light House located on South Head off Sydney Harbour, across to the Light House, located on North Head.

Geronimo’s course will pass New Zealand and onto the finish line will be off the entrance to the Port of Papeete, Tahiti, in French Polynesia. The distance covered will be approximately 3310 nautical miles.

Skipper, de Kersauson and his 10 crew will depart from Sydney today, July 26th. ‘We are looking forward to setting a new benchmark for this record between the two countries that I cherish,’ the well known French skipper said.

‘Australia is the home of my ancestors (prior to his around Australia attempt, de Kersauson told the assembled media that had it not been for World War II, he would have been born in Australia) and French Polynesia is where I have many of my closest friends. I hope this record will help Australians discover the wonderful lands of French Polynesia,’ de Kersauson added.

Geronimo has been seen training on the Harbour and offshore during the week.

At the time of posting, crew members names and a leave time had not been advised.