Over the last 24 hours the Capgemini and Schneider Electric trimaran Geronimo has been eating up the miles as the Franco American crew pull out all the stops to break the current transpacific sailing record that stands at five days, nine hours, 18 minutes and 26 seconds set in 1997.

Updated information received from onboard Geronimo is that for the four hours from 1317 to 1701 November 16 UTC the boat had covered 86.25 miles averaging 23 knots boat speed point to point.

The giant ocean record breaker has 822 miles to go to cross the finish line and if all the crew can maintain a 14.80 knots average boat speed from their current location to the finish line they will have their third speed sailing record in four months.

Now positioned 1,393 miles from the start line and with a current 19.20 knots average speed from the start, skipper Olivier de Kersauson and his crew may set a record with an average boat speed above 20 knots, giving them one of the top five fastest sailing speed records ever and the fastest for the WSSRC ratified records in the Pacific.

Olivier de Kersauson commented from the boat in the last two hours: “We have irregular and variable winds; not very good for our nerves. Far from the forecasts which are not very appetizing anyway. Night from the 1001 Knights tales. The moon was serene and played on the sea, splendid. The tension on board is rising; we will have to find a way on this ocean of incertitude…”

The crew has to decide when will be the optimum time to tack and head in a more southerly direction from their current course. The weather they are currently experiencing is unstable and the breeze is lightening in strength. Conditions are challenging and they will have to choose wisely their next plan of attack to deal with the predicted weather towards the finish line.