Bruno Peyron and team aboard the 120ft catamaran Orange II rounded Cape Leeuwin (south-western tip of Australia) last night at 23:58 breaking the Equator – Leeuwin record by more than five days over the previous record set by Geronimo trimaran. Orange’s took just 14 days and 11 hours.

Orange also has two other records under her belt – the Good Hope – Leeuwin record previously held by Loïck Peyron aboard Innovation Explorer (new record by Orange: 7 days, 5 hours, 35 minutes), and she bettered Cheyenne’s time on the Ushant – Leeuwin portion, taking 4 days and 14 minutes off the previous record with a time of 21 days, 13 hours and 54 minutes at sea with an average speed of 22.8 knots since their start, which amounts to a 15 per cent gain compared to Cheyenne’s time.

Team Orange however, is currently experiencing tough conditions passing south of Australia. And for safety reasons have dropped the gennaker in an effort to slow the pace. Reports showed that Orange was doing 30-35 knots of speed in 6-8-metre waves. The team is also trying to slow up a bit to avoid catching a front that is currently generating 40-45 knots of wind.

Chatting this morning Peyron commented: “We had not been so successful on the Indian Ocean in the past, in 1993 during the first Jules Verne ever, or in 2002 with Orange I. This year it’s radically different, and I think it’s a good sign. Yet it does not impress us that much – true, it only took us seven days between Good Hope and Leeuwin, but the boat can swallow that portion even faster, I’d say in six days. What matters more is the fact that we sustained a satisfactory average speed while following a route full of zigzags. For the moment, all things considered everything, it’s not been so bad!”