Steve Fossett has extended the no-go, code red status for his pending Jules Verne Challenge until at least next weekend. Fossett and his crew are currently on standby in preparation for a round the world sailing record attempt. Fossett will skipper the 125ft maxi-catamaran ‘Cheyenne’ (former PlayStation) on the Jules Verne course and is hoping to add the world record to his already impressive list of achievements. Speaking from Plymouth, Devon yesterday afternoon, Fossett said: “The potential start on 6 February is not going to work. The earliest possible start from Ouessant (north-west corner of France) is when the winds veer from south-west to west or north-west. When that occurs it will be too late to round the corner at Finisterre (north-west corner of Spain) before the high pressure moves in to stop us cold.

“The next potential pattern to start is on 8-9 February. Right now this forecast time is not quite right, but a small improvement in wind pattern would be sufficient. On a positive note, the long-range forecasts are now showing high pressure in the mid-Atlantic where lows dominated during the last half of January. Highs are a prerequisite to finding a start on the Round the World from the English Channel.”

To break the Jules Verne record, Team Cheyenne has to beat time of 64 days, 8 hours, 35 minutes, 24 seconds set by Bruno Peyron in Orange.