Here’s something pretty impressive: Will Claxton and Matt Gill, the boatbuilders racing their startlingly little 32ft trimaran Paradox in the Shetland Round Britain & Ireland Race have claimed a course record for the halfway point.

That was set back in 1989, when maxi multihulls were allowed, by François Bucher and Loic Lingois in the 75ft trimaran Saab Turbo.

What’s even more impressive is that Paradox is getting on herself. She was built for paraplegic sailor Alan Grace to do this race back in 1998. Unfortunately he was unable to finish.

The record for the whole course back to Plymouth, which includes 8 days’ worth of stopovers, is Saab Turbo’s time of 15 days 7 hours and 30 minutes. Back in 1989 they were a day ahead of second-placed Richard Tolkien and Peter Foot on the 53ft trimaran Williams Lea.

It’s interesting to reflect that today, the maximum boat sized allowed in the Shetland Round Britain & Ireland Race is 50ft, which rules out all the current outright round Britain & Ireland circumnavigation recordholders, the IMOCA 60 monos and giant multihulls (though they tend to set those records going the other way round).

Meanwhile French race organisers are taking the brakes off again after many years of size restriction. The Route du Rhum solo transatlantic in November will feature a no-limits ‘ultime’ class. An idea?

And here, if you think you’re tough enough, is what it’s like to race aboard Paradox, from some video shot by Will Claxton. Thanks, Will, and we look forward to seeing footage from the forecast 30 knots you think you’ll ‘enjoy’ in a couple of days’ time!