The Famous Project CIC Jules Verne Trophy record attempt - Day 24
by Agence TB Press 24 Dec 2025 16:26 GMT
24 December 2025
At the time when Australians open their Christmas presents, due to the time difference, the sailors of the all-female The Famous Project CIC crossed the longitude of Cape Leeuwin at the southwestern tip of the Australian continent at 1:19 p.m. (French time).
Alexia (Barrier), Dee (Caffari), Annemieke (Bes), Rebecca (Gmür Hornell), Deborah (Blair), Molly (LaPointe), Támara (Echegoyen), and Stacey (Jackson) thus checked off the second of three major milestones in their round-the-world voyage, after the Cape of Good Hope on December 16 and before the Horn, after 24 days, 22 hours and 39 minutes of sailing since their departure from Ushant.
This was a highly symbolic crossing, especially for the newcomers on board, and was welcomed and appreciated as a real gift at the end of a beautiful and fast week in the Indian Ocean. The IDEC SPORT maxi trimaran demonstrated the full extent of its astonishing seafaring qualities in rough seas and strong northwesterly winds, which enabled Alexia and her "girls" to cover nearly 700 miles in 24 hours at an average speed of over 27 knots.
This cavalcade was briefly interrupted this morning by a huge fishing net caught in the starboard foil of the large multihull. "We went from 30 knots to 5 knots!" said Alexia. "We put the boat in reverse and were able to remove the large net, but the foil remained stuck in the down position for a while. Everything is now back to normal. "
Such is the tumultuous life of adventurers in the Southern Ocean, where euphoria is followed by anxiety, and vice versa. But on this Christmas Eve, it will take more than a fishing net to dampen the enthusiasm of the crew, who are more comfortable than ever at the helm of their giant multihull in the demanding conditions of the Southern Ocean.
Alexia Barrier:
"Leeuwin is a cape that commands respect, even when everything is going well. We know we are far from everything, committed, and that we are no longer playing with margins. Crossing it is both a source of pride and a reminder: we are guests here. So we remain humble, focused, and grateful to be able to pass through.
The Indian Ocean remains the Indian Ocean: demanding, changeable, sometimes harsh. The big difference with my Vendée Globe is the support and the crew. When you're sailing solo, everything is more mentally demanding, every decision rests on you. Here, we share the analysis, the monitoring, the effort. It allows us to go faster, but it doesnt take away from the complexity of the ocean.
The boat is sound, the crew is becoming more and more precise, and we are in an area where every weather opportunity counts. But we are not forcing things: the record is a possible consequence, not a goal in itself.
Our confidence is growing gradually. We are learning about the boat, the crew's automatic responses are falling into place, and we are reading the sea better. When everything aligns, the weather, the settings, the energy on board, we can afford to push a little harder without losing our clarity.
The crew is doing well. There is fatigue, of course, but above all, there is real mental strength. The atmosphere remains healthy and committed, with a lot of support between us. We feel that the collective is a real driving force, and that makes all the difference over time.
Our hook failure was a serious incident, but we got it under control. We identified the problem, secured the situation, and adapted our operations accordingly. The boat continues to make good progress, and we remain very vigilant about what lies ahead. At sea, the key is not to avoid all problems, but to know how to manage them."
Cape Leeuwin according to Annemieke Bes (Netherlands):
"Cape Leeuwin is the stunning, dramatic, and historically significant southwesternmost point of mainland Australia, located in Western Australia, where the mighty Indian and Southern Oceans dramatically meet, marked by mainland Australia's tallest lighthouse, a vital beacon for ships and a popular tourist spot known for its rugged beauty and whale watching. It is named after the Dutch ship Leeuwin (Lioness) that sighted it in 1622 and is a major landmark."
Stacey Jackson (Australia)
"I am really proud to be passing the cape Leeuwin line as it's one step closer to the final goal so being this close to Australia and not stopping is ok for the mission.
Ticking over the 24th day at sea feels to be a normal routine now. Though some days are better than others I always see it as a privilege to be doing something as cool as the Jules Verne.
My first time on a big trimaran in the open oceans and it is all I excepted and more. It's fast and fun and has you always a little bit more concentrated than a monohull yacht.
I am looking forward to sailing in the pacific however our forecast isn't looking as nice as it should be right now. Weirdly not a lot of wind rather than too much. But it will be us to Cape Horn. The Everest of sailing.
The 80th Sydney Hobarth race starts on boxing day without me this year which is sad for me to miss a start. (Stacey has sailed this Australian Classic 19 times!) But I consider this an acceptable excuse to not be on the starting line. I will though be closely following my team mats on Palm Beach 100 and friends on other boats."
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