The hurricane season has been particularly violent this year in the US,
and while he has been on standby for two months in New York waiting for
the right weather window to make an Atlantic solo crossing record attempt,
Thomas Coville has decided to abandon the record attempt. He and Jacques
Vincent will sail the ORMA 60 Sodebo to their base at La Trinite France in
preparation for the Jacques Vabre, which starts from Le Havre on November
9. The two already completed their qualification sail in May, but will
gain another 3000 miles of experience on this crossing in preparation for
the November transat.

The passage of hurricane Ophelia this week prevented Coville from taking
to sea safely, but the storm has now turned eastwards.

The two men hardly need the extra seamiles; both completed a
circumnavigation this past winter in the Oryx Quest aboard Doha 2006.
Jacques sailed aboard L’Hydroptere and then completed the Transpac in
July.