CityJet, a Nacira-designed, French 60 footer, owned by Jean-Philippe Chomette, which set off from Dun Laoghaire early last week has broken the monohull Round Ireland speed record. Team CityJet passed the Kish Lighthouse in Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin at 0414 last Friday morning smashing the previously held record by 17 hours and 46 minutes and winning the Cork Dry Gin Perpetual Monohull Trophy.

CityJet left Dun Laoghaire on Tuesday at 1833 and, sailing around Ireland clockwise, returned 57hrs and 41 minutes later.

Skipper of the CityJet, Jean-Philippe Chomette said: “It has been an exhilarating and challenging 57 hours. It was tough but with a strong and motivated crew we reached above and beyond our goal. Suffice to say that we are delighted to be the new record holders of the Cork Dry Gin Round Ireland Record Challenge.”

The Round Ireland record was previously held by the Irish Independent monohull, crewed by Garry Keegan, Stuart Fogarty and Daragh Cafferky. It sailed around Ireland in three days, three hours and twenty seven minutes in November 2002.

The eight-person crew for this record breaking challenge included co-skipper César Dohy, Matthieu Vincent as well as the British former Whitbread sailor and BT Global Challenge skipper Chris Tibbs, a renowned on-board navigator and meteorologist who holds the Round Britain records in both monohulls and multihulls. Also in the crew, on mainsail, is yachtsman Patrick Tabarly, brother of renowned sailor Eric Tabarly. They sailed under the Kinsale Yacht Club Burgee.

The record-breaking attempt was monitored by the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire and will be registered with the World Speed Sailing Council (WSSC). Irish Distillers will present the crew with the Cork Dry Gin trophy.