The Famous Project CIC start Jules Verne Trophy record attempt
by Agence TB Press 30 Nov 04:17 NZDT
29 November 2025
The Famous Project CIC, aboard the maxi trimaran IDEC SPORT, start their Jules Verne Trophy record attempt © Jean-Marie Liot / The Famous Project CIC
It was 13.40 UTC (14 h 40 FR) on Saturday, November 29, when the eight women of The Famous Project CIC, aboard the maxi trimaran IDEC SPORT, crossed the starting line of the Jules Verne Trophy, the extreme round-the-world race for crewed multihulls, without stops or assistance.
The date and time are worth noting, because since 1998 and the unfortunately aborted attempt by British sailor Tracy Edwards on the catamaran Royal&Sun Alliance, no all-female crew has taken up this immense challenge. Alexia Barrier, from Antibes, has already achieved the feat of getting to the starting line, with an international crew of eight sailors of seven different nationalities, aged 23 to 52, who come from all corners of the sailing world, from Olympic sailing to ocean racing, and who have thus set out on a dangerous 40,000 km voyage via the three great capes, the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Leeuwin, and Cape Horn, in an attempt to break the most fabulous sailing record, set nine years ago by Francis Joyon and his five-man crew: 40 days, 23 hours, and 30 minutes.
The Bay of Biscay, shaken by the passage of a front, welcomes the sailors with its stormy weather, waves of 4 to 5 meters, and a northwesterly wind that is fortunately well oriented to favor downwind sailing. There is only one watchword: caution! Don't break anything, and get as comfortable as possible while waiting for the wind to drop and the sea to calm down in the middle of next week, somewhere off the coast of Portugal. Then the smiles, good humor, and kindness that are Alexia's trademark will return, heralding a truly extraordinary round-the-world voyage.
ALEXIA BARRIER, Captain "We are strong together."
"I am very happy today, on the day of departure for the Jules Verne Trophy with my team. I feel very lucky and grateful for all the work that has been done over the last few months and years, all together. It's really a collective celebration to be at the starting line.
Obviously, I'm a little nervous because what we're doing is huge. But what reassures me a lot is having these incredible girls by my side. I'm not alone and I know my team is up to the task.
We'll be sailing downwind until we reach the equator. These are conditions we know well. Further on, the doldrums are still shifting. As Brian Thompson, who has helped us a lot throughout this training course on trimarans with the girls, would say, "You're going to experience the toughest 24 hours of your Jules Verne Trophy. "
So we need to stay focused and conservative so we don't hurt ourselves or break anything on the first day.
We don't have a battle cry, we just hug each other tightly. I know that once we leave the bridge, we'll start singing and smiling again. Our comfort zone is being happy together. I see a lot of emotion in the girls' eyes, and I'm happy to take them on this journey.
I'm proud of what we've all done together once again."
DEE CAFFARI: "A very good start!"
"I'm surprisingly calm, but I think I'm calm to help everyone else, because you can feel a certain nervousness. The main goal has always been to get to the starting line, and I think today we took a big step forward. It's an important milestone, and I think it deserves a little celebration.
It's been a long road, with ups and downs, but Alexia never lost confidence or faith in herself, and I supported her throughout. So I'm very happy to be here. Today it's about reminding the girls that we're just going to sail, which is what they do perfectly, but simply that they won't be sleeping in a bed for a few days. That's exactly what we practiced in training, so we're just going to set off, enjoy ourselves, and do what we know how to do. We wanted a perfect start, but perfection doesn't exist in sailing, because we're at the mercy of Mother Nature. That said, it's a very good start. "
The crew:
- Alexia Barrier (46) - France - Captain
- Dee Caffari (53) - Great Britain - First Officer
- Annemieke Bes (47) - Netherlands
- Rebecca Bex Gmuer (25) - Switzerland - New Zealand
- Deborah Blair (23) - Great Britain
- Molly Lapointe (30) - American-Italian - Boat Captain
- Tamara Xiquita Echegoyen (41) - Spain
- Stacey Jackson (42) - Australia
Quotes:
Daniel Baal, President of CIC
"The time has come to wish the best of luck to the entire crew of The Famous Project CIC. Congratulations to Alexia for holding on to her dream and putting this project together against all odds, always with enthusiasm and professionalism. In my eyes, this departure is already a victory and proves how much this commitment goes beyond sporting performance. The CIC is proud to support The Famous Project CIC, because through this initiative, we want to demonstrate our support for women's commitment in all its dimensions. Now it's time for sport. It's up to Alexia, Dee, Stacey, Tamara, Molly, Deborah, Rebecca, and Annemieke to write their story, their adventure. We are with them. Make us dream."
Patrice Lafargue: President of the IDEC Group
"We are delighted to support Alexia Barrier and her crew in their attempt to break the Jules Verne Trophy record. The IDEC SPORT maxi-trimaran has a unique history, and seeing it set sail today with an all-female crew ready to take on one of the most demanding records is a source of immense pride for all the employees of the IDEC GROUP. The Jules Verne Trophy embodies the strong values we share: respect for the environment, inclusion, passion, pushing oneself beyond one's limits, and commitment. Daring, setting challenges, and pushing boundaries: this is what drives the spirit of IDEC SPORT and the entire IDEC GROUP."
Eric Pasquier, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Strategy Officer at Sopra Steria
"We are proud to support these eight sailors as they embark on an extraordinary adventure. Beyond the technologies we are providing to help them in their challenge, the whole of Sopra Steria is behind them in this record attempt. Their audacity and determination resonate deeply within our company. We wish them all the best and salute the scope of what they are attempting to achieve."
Amanda Mille - Director of the Richard Mille brand and partnerships
"Today marks a major milestone: the departure of The Famous Project CIC. The entire Richard Mille team stands by your side with admiration and pride. Your audacity, determination, and ability to overcome all challenges are a source of inspiration."