Francois Gabart slashes over six days off solo RTW record
by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com/nz 16 Dec 2017 21:14 PST
17 December 2017
Francois Gabart slashed over six days off the solo round the world record © Macif Course Au Large
French sailor Francois Gabart smashed the solo round the world sailing record when the crossed the finish line between Ushant and Lizard Point.
The new record (yet to be ratified) is 42 days, 16hrs, 40mins and 35secs slashing a massive six days and 10hrs off the existing record.
The previous record was set by Thomas Colville in Sodebo 4 at 49days 3hrs 4min 28secs in December 2016.
The crewed record stands at 40days 23hrs 30min 30secs set in January 2017 by the Francis Joyon skippered IDEC. Gabart missed setting the all-comers record by just 41hours.
A former French national champion in the Optimist class, the now 34-year-old father of two sailor crossed the virtual finish line at 0145 GMT on December 17, 2017.
Gabart is the fourth person to lower the record mark, which has now been reduced by some 30 days since Francois Joyon first set the mark at 72 days and 22 hours. He was also the winner of the 2012/13 Vendee Globe on board IMOCA MACIF setting a new record of 78days 2hrs 16 mins.
Live coverage
Crossing the virtual finish line
The video below is from a fly over as Gabart approached the finish
From onboard MACIF two weeks ago:
Advance-delay on Thomas Coville's [previous record holder] course
Ecuador: + 140 miles, or 03h 34 'late
Cap des Aiguilles: - 829 miles, ie 2d 06h 24 'in advance
Cape Leeuwin: - 653 miles, ie 1d 12h 59 'in advance
Tasmania: - 687 miles, ie 1d 05h 02 'in advance
Cape Horn: -1 215 miles, ie 2d 08h 15 'in advance
Ecuador return: - 1,990 miles, ie 5d 13h 23 'in advance
Ouessant: -2,810 miles, or 6d 10h 23 'in advance
Reference time from Ouessant
Ushant-Ecuador: 05d 20h 45 '
Ouessant-Cap des Aiguilles: 11d 22h 20 '(new absolute reference time)
Ouessant-Cap Leeuwin: 19d 14h 10 '(new reference time alone)
Ouessant-Cape Horn: 29d 03h 15 '(new reference time alone)
Ushant-Ecuador return: 36d 01h 30 '(new absolute reference time)
Ouessant-Ouessant: 42d 16h 40 '(new reference time alone)
Reference time by route segment
Ecuador-Cap of Aiguilles: 6d 01h 35 '(new absolute reference time)
Cape Horn-Ecuador: 06d 22h 15 '(new absolute reference time)
WSSRC Records (currently being validated)
Ecuador-Ecuador: 30d 04h 45 '(previous record) previous holder, Thomas Coville in 35d 21h 38')
South Pacific Ocean: 7d 15h 15 '(absolute record) previous holder: Francis Joyon and his crew in 7d 21h 13'
Distance covered in 24 hours: 851 miles (previous record) previous holder, François Gabart with 784 miles