Launched since Saturday around the world in search of Jules Verne Trophythe crew of the maxi-trimaran SVR-Lazartigue announced on Tuesday that they were turning around towards Concarneau (Finistère) after foil damage. The maxi-trimaran was sailing 500 miles from the Azores archipelago, towards Ecuador, when it collided with an OANI (Unidentified Object or Animal), described the team in a press release sent to the AFP.
“The foil was damaged and after analyzing the damage, the decision was made to turn around to reach Concarneau as quickly as possible”, indicates the team of veil.
“There we turned around because it seemed difficult and complicated that this foil could last a whole trip around the world (…). Maybe it would have broken after a few hours,” said François Gabart.
“We might be able to leave quite quickly”
Already the holder of the solo round-the-world record, obtained in a fantastic time (42 days, 16 hours, 40 minutes and 35 seconds) in 2017, the 41-year-old sailor from Charente was this time aiming for the crewed round-the-world record. Currently, this record has been held by Francis Joyon and Idec Sport since 2017 with a time of 40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes and 30 seconds.
Even though this first attempt failed, the team still has faith in this winter. “Potentially, if there is nothing else broken on the boat, we could be able to get back behind quite quickly,” confides François Gabart.
“We are still at the start of winter, at the start of stand-by, we have a second foil and there are still plenty of things possible,” he puts things into perspective. Nothing is lost, as the “waiting period” can last until February 15, 2025 for crews aspiring to achieve the record.
Thomas Coville still racing on Sodebo Ultim 3
For now, the maxi-trimaran is on its way home. François Gabart as well as the five other members of SVR-Lazartigue, Tom Laperche, Amélie Grassi, Antoine Gautier, Émilien Lavigne and Pascal Bidégorry should return to Brittany between Friday and Sunday.
The Charente sailor and his team are not the only ones coveting the trophy. Departing twelve hours earlier than the SVR-Lazartigue, Thomas Coville’s Sodebo Ultim 3 passed the Azores, off the coast of Cape Verde, only 48 hours after its departure, but with a slight delay on Francis Joyon’s record.
A tough competition is expected between the two Frenchmen. Thomas Coville, already twice winner of the trophy as a teammate of Olivier de Kersauson in 1997 and Franck Cammas in 2010, would like to win it again, this time at the helm of his boat.