Jules Verne Trophy claimed by maxi trimaran Banque Populaire V

by Banque Populaire Voile on 7 Jan 2012 In the 2011 Jules Verne Trophy, the 14 sailors on-board Maxi trimaran Banque Populaire V just burst into the history of offshore racing by becoming the fastest men around the globe with crew, after 45 days 13 hours 42 minutes and 53 seconds of sailing*. Loïck Peyron and his crew improved the reference time of the Jules Verne Trophy held by Groupama 3 since March 2010 by two days eighteen hours one minute and fifty-nine seconds.

Departed on November 22nd at 09:31:42 Paris time (08:31:42 GMT), after having crossed the imaginary line between Ushant (Finistère-France) and Lizard Point (southern tip of England), the Maxi Banque Populaire V crossed the finish line of the Jules Verne Trophy at 23:14:35 Paris time (22:14:35 GMT) this Friday. She undertook this sailing around the world in 45 days 13 hours 42 minutes 53 seconds days at an average speed of 26.51 knots, covering a total distance of 29 002 miles.

Launched in August 2008 in Lorient (Morbihan-France),the giant trimaran holding the colours of Banque Populaire has also established several referenced time on various partials officially listed by the WSSRC for her first world tour:

Equator / Equator record in 32 days, 11 hours, 51 minutes and 30 seconds

Indian Ocean crossing record (Cape Agulhas / South of Tasmania) in 8 days 7 hours 22 minutes and 15 seconds

Under the leadership of the skipper Loïck Peyron, Thierry Chabagny, Florent Chastel, Thierry Duprey du Vorsent, Kevin Escoffier, Emmanuel Le Borgne, Frédéric Le Peutrec, Jean-Baptiste Le Vaillant, Ronan Lucas, Pierre-Yves Moreau, Yvan Ravussin, Xavier Revil, Brian Thompson, Juan Vila and onshore router Marcel van Triest, are the new holders of the Jules Verne Trophy*.

Loïck Peyron, skipper of the Maxi Banque Populaire V: The feeling from the guys onboard: Emotion and Happiness ! We have filled a good part of the contract! We will now appreciate our victory between us and will return in Brest tomorrow morning to share this beautiful story with everyone. Our memories are full of wonderful images: the departure, icebergs, albatrosses, the Kerguelen Islands... When you sail around the world in 45 days, you see many things. The only one we did not get is Cape Horn but this frustration is quickly forgotten with the record we now have in hands. We are very proud!

Jules Verne Trophy:

Start date and time: November 22nd 2011 at 09:31:42 Paris time (08:31:42 GMT)

Arrival date and time at Ushant: January 6th 2012 at 23:14:35 Paris time (22:14:35 GMT)

Distance: 29 002 miles Average speed : 26.51 knots

New reference time on the Jules Verne Trophy* : 45 days 13 hours 42 minutes 53 seconds

Time difference with Groupama 3’s record in 2010: 2 days 18 hours 1 minute and 59 seconds

* Under the WSSRC approval (World Sailing Speed Record Council).

Loïck Peyron and his crew are expected at the Marina du Château, quai Jean-Francois La Perouse in Brest (France) at around 10:30am this Saturday, January 7th.