French skipper Joyon won Jules Verne trophy

French skipper Francis Joyon sets new record won Jules Verne trophy

Francis Joyon completes around-the-world boat race in record 40 days to win Jules Verne Trophy

WOW averaged 26.85 knots, the equivalent of almost 31 mph, over 26,412 miles,Now that's impressive . Us frogs can still do it

gaston said:

wow averaged 26.85 knots, the equivalent of almost 31 mph, over 26,412 miles,now that's impressive . Us frogs can still do it

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lol !

That is amazing. I just read about another fellow that has just completed the circuit and also had won a Nobel prize when working at Bell Labs in the 70's.
Say hi to the Captain for me.

BinkleyBoat said:

That is amazing. I just read about another fellow that has just completed the circuit and also had won a Nobel prize when working at Bell Labs in the 70's.
Say hi to the Captain for me.

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Hi Bob !!!!
Warm thanks. Hugs to you and the Admiral !

Yes, indeed, the French seem very adept at sailing, multihulls, especially. Might we expect them to do well in the next Americas Cup..?

Peter B said:

Yes, indeed, the French seem very adept at sailing, multihulls, especially. Might we expect them to do well in the next Americas Cup..?

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They could do very well as long as the yanks don't cheat and change the rules as they do


The Yanky Cup just ain't what it use to be .

Amazing timing on this. We were just watching a short video about the origins of this race at the Maritime museum in Auckland. As you might imagine, in the video the Kiwi won the race. But they were trying for less than 80 days, and I see this most recent race was accomplished in 40 days. Pretty amazing.

gaston said:

They could do very well as long as the yanks don't cheat and change the rules as they do


The Yanky Cup just ain't what it use to be .

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I never really followed it much, but agree that it has turned into a total freak-show of boats, and pouting billionaires. People behaving at their worst - something Ellison does well. It just holds no appeal at all for me.

Peter B said:

Yes, indeed, the French seem very adept at sailing, multihulls, especially. Might we expect them to do well in the next Americas Cup..?

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Cher Pierre,

- The Trophy Jules Verne, distance 21.600 nautical miles, amazing average speed of almost 27 knots,
- The "Non-stop single handed / solo round the world race without assistance",
- The "Vendée Globe" race (also non-stop solo round the world without assistance race, starting & finishing in Les Sables d'Olonnes, French Atlantic coast),
- The "Around Alone" race (solo round the world with stopovers),
- The "Route du Rhum", a solo transatlantique open race from Saint Malo French Atlantic coast to Pointe à Pitre Guadeloupe where amateurs & professionals can enter which brings on the same race monohulls & multihulls of all sizes & classes,

I dare say that the French won all at some time or another.

In answer to your interesting question,
Even if I'm a big fan of the famous America's cup, this is another world where boats are made by shipyards cooperatively with aircrafts manufacturers, a particular culture with specific management, state of mind, training.

French skippers have a different profile than that, different approach of sea races, different definition of success, different competitive mind, different love & fascination of the sea, although this means substantial budget ressources as well.

There is Formula One, there is also off-road rally raid, both are exciting.

The ocean crossings & the off-track long range navigations have always been part of the essential elements of the French maritime culture which was the basis of our former vast maritime empire. Hearty bravo to Francis Joyon, also I am happy to see that the long French marine tradition is preserved

twistedtree said:

Amazing timing on this. We were just watching a short video about the origins of this race at the Maritime museum in Auckland. As you might imagine, in the video the Kiwi won the race. But they were trying for less than 80 days, and I see this most recent race was accomplished in 40 days. Pretty amazing.

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Interesting.

I know of at least one French racing sailing boat which has been built by Cokson Shipyard in Auckland NZ.

The late Sir Peter Blake, who headed the first successful New Zealand Americas Cup campaign in San Diego, and subsequent defence in Auckland in the 90s, was very much involved in the round the world races of various formats.

The original monohull race, he competed in first as skipper of Ceramco NZ, and later Lion NZ, in the what was then called the Whitbread, and which later had a couple of name changes, then became the Volvo Ocean Race, with a standard size of craft to contain costs etc.

Blake actually won it, line and handicap, and overall on all 6 legs, in the 1989-90 Whitbread with Steinlager 2.
I had the good fortune to be able to go aboard and be shown over Ceramco NZ, Lion NZ, and Steinlager 2, when they called into Napier, NZ, on their way to the start of the relevant races, back when we lived in the area.

Then he competed and for a time in multihulls, and set the round the world multihull record I think, as well.
Yes, In 1994 he captured the Jules Verne Trophy by sailing non-stop around the globe on a catamaran in 74 days, 22 hours, 17 minutes and 22 seconds.
Since broken several times by enterprising Frenchmen, as Pilou has mentioned, but Francis Joyon's 40 days is really amazing..!

Sadly he was killed by pirates while at anchor in a tributary of the Amazon on a scientific expedition, of all things, after weathering all of many storms and hardship in those races. Ironic, and sad at the same time...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Blake_(sailor)

http://sirpeterblaketrust.org/sir-peters-history

http://merc.org.nz/sir-peter-blake/