Two more world records for the giant trimaran
The 103ft trimaran Banque Populaire skippered by Loick Peyron broke two more records at the weekend, as they crossed the longitudinal line at Cape Leeuwin.
Starting from Ushant, Loick and his crew knocked 3 days, 14 hours and 24 minutes off the former record, held by VPLP’s 104′ trimaran Groupama 3 which took 21 days, 14 hours, 43 seconds to reach Cape Leeuwin in 2008. As the team hurtle through the southern ocean at an average speed of 30 knots, the Maxi clocked another record. Yesterday, Monday 12th at 15.43 (FT), 16.43 (GMT) they crossed the imaginary line separating the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and cadged the WSSRC record for the passage from the Cape of Needles (off South Africa) to Tasmania: 8 days, 7 hours, 22 minutes and 15 seconds. This record was also previously held by Franck Cammas on Groupama 3.
In a live interview from the trimaran Loïck Peyron described the conditions upon their arrival in the Pacific: “The sea state has improved. The swell is very long. We had a difficult start to the night with a very short sea. We had to slow down a lot, but now it’s improved. Despite everything we could not avoid falling off an impressive wave this morning, and exceeding 48 knots in free fall … which certainly beats the boats speed record. Newton was helping us there, rather then Eole. There are crests sometimes ten meters high, but with long periods, close to 200 meters between each peak. It makes it manageable. Only in the South do we see periods this long. The waves advance at thirty knots, a bit like us, so that we can really ride with them and it’s really very nice. ”
At 09.00 hr (FT) 10.00 (GMT) this morning, Maxi Banque Populaire V had a 2,100 mile lead on the established Jules Verne record.
Visit British crew member Brian Thompson’s blog here.
Photo courtesy BPCE