Category: Charles Caudrelier
The Maxi Edmond de Rothschild takes on the Jules Verne Trophy
Having cast off from Lorient in the early hours of this Sunday morning, the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild crossed the start line off the island of Ushant at 13h 9 min 30s UTC in her attempt to secure the Jules Verne Trophy. At the helm of the 32-metre giant, Charles Caudrelier, Franck Cammas and their four crew are taking on the prestigious round the world race against the clock. The aim: to beat the record of 40 days, 23 hours and 30 minutes set in 2017 by Francis Joyon and the men of IDEC. To achieve this, Gitana Team will have to make it back to Brest and the Le Créac’h lighthouse before 25 March 2023 at 12h 38min 59s UTC. Though rather unique, the weather window on offer to the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is certainly worth a go, as there might well be a series of great opportunities for the five-arrow crew to snap up along the way.
A far from standard weather window
Since Friday morning, the skippers of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild and their router, Marcel van Triest, have been eyeing up a serious opportunity to finally get things underway in their sprint around the planet. However, from one grib file to the next, a series of discrepancies have made a tough choice even harder for the weather cell. Ultimately, true to the team’s philosophy of being bold and committed, early this Sunday afternoon the large flying trimaran fitted out by Ariane and Benjamin de Rothschild set sail on this iconic record of offshore racing.
Like Charles Caudrelier, all the members of Gitana Team freely admit that “the weather window is rather atypical,” a choice that the recent winner of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe explains in more depth: “though we have a very precise idea of what may happen in the North Atlantic, the same cannot really be said in the South Atlantic. A low pressure system to the south of Brazil is a little uncertain according to the weather models.”In short, the team will have to locate “a bolt hole”, says Morgan Lagravière and “have a bit of luck with the sequence of weather systems,” continues Franck Cammas. However, the first few days at sea have been well identified with “upwind conditions to start and a front to hunt down tomorrow,”explains Erwan Israël. If the weather sequence subsequently proves less favourable, the crew reserves the right to turn back level with the Canaries in a bid to hunt down a better launchpad from the tip of Brittany.
Focused, determined and particularly enthusiastic, the six crew on the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild have set sail on their first attempt of the year, the third in all for the Verdier design following two aborted campaigns in 2020 and 2021. The latter came to an end after 12 days of racing at the entrance to the Southern Ocean, with the team ahead of the record having just secured the best ever time to the Agulhas Cape. Though setting sail in mid-February might appear quite late in the season, some has set off even later in the day, including Sport-Elec (Olivier de Kersauzon, on 8 March 1997) and Orange II (Bruno Peyron, on 2 March 2002).
Charles Caudrelier, Franck Cammas and their crew now have their eyes glued to the upcoming waypoints, particularly one offshore of South Africa. “We need to have a lead of at least 24 hours over Francis Joyon’s passage time at the Cape of Good Hope (12 days, 19 hours),” stresses Charles. As a result, the team has a set of well identified goals and the race against the clock is most definitely on!
Quotes of the crew:
Charles Caudrelier: “It’s a fairly atypical weather window, but we’re getting to the end of standby and we’re keen to give it a go, especially with the grib files indicating some good passage times yesterday evening. Though we have a very precise idea of what may happen in the North Atlantic, the same cannot really be said in the South Atlantic. There’s a low pressure system to the south of Brazil, which is a little uncertain according to the weather models. However, we’ve decided that it was worth having a go, even if we have to turn back when things don’t play out that way. The aim is to get as far as possible. One of the areas where we can gain the most time in relation to the previous record is in the Atlantic. We need to have a lead of at least 24 hours over Francis Joyon’s passage time to the Cape of Good Hope (12 days, 19 hours). He set the bar very high and we know his record is going to be a tough nut to crack. The toughest thing about this record is managing to finish with a boat at 100% of her capacity. That said, we believe the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild has reached maturity!”
Franck Cammas: “It’s the first time we’ve crossed the start line this year. We’re well aware that if we are to pull off this record, it’s important to have a bit of luck on our side with a good sequence of weather systems. The days we lose during the first phase could well be detrimental to the record, which is why we’ve taken time to set sail. We cannot afford to waste any time, especially as the reference time posted by Francis (Joyon / IDEC) is very good in the southern hemisphere! To break records, you first need to have a go.”
Morgan Lagravière: “I wasn’t really worried about whether we’d set sail. When you see how dynamic Charles and Franck are, we knew we were going to go for it. It’s a powerful moment, it’s also a moment when you’re bidding farewell to family, so emotions run high and there’s a sense that you’re united in the moment. Overall, it’s a very positive sentiment. After that, we have to keep a cool head as we know that there are a fair few uncertainties with this weather window. We really want to get down into the Southern Ocean. It’s a box I’m yet to tick in my career. The boat’s exceptional, the crew’s excellent: these are very good conditions for enjoying ourselves and doing something truly unique. We’re going to believe that luck is on our side and that the planets are aligned in terms of the weather.”
David Boileau: “Naturally, our mindset is a conquering one! We’ve been waiting for a month and a half so inevitably we’re very happy to be setting sail. There’s a sense of release for all of us. We know that the weather window isn’t great, but we’re going for it and we’re going to try our luck. If the weather doesn’t prove so favourable, we’ll turn back and we’ll wait for the next one. However, things are moving forward and we’re keen to have some fun and give our all!”
Erwan Israël: “It’s only the second time I’ve changed my clothes in the boat since the start of standby (laughs)! Ultimately, we’d never really planned to set sail, but this is the one this time! Inevitably, we were all a bit fed up with standby and monitoring the weather… Right now, we’re delighted, we’re all smiling and we believe in it. Though there is some uncertainty, the North Atlantic is pretty good and the weather window is interesting. We’re going to head upwind and hunt down a front tomorrow, which makes the challenge all the more appealing!”
Figures to note:
Crossing of the line: on 12 February 2022 at 13h 09min 30s UTC
Deadline for the finish to beat the record: 25 March 2023 at 12h 38min 59s UTC
Latest date to begin a record attempt: 8 March (in 1997, Sport-Elec)
Record to beat: 40 days, 23 hours and 30 minutes => Record held by Francis Joyon and his crew (Idec Sport) since 26 January 2017.
Jules Verne Trophy: the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild makes for the start line
Charles Caudrelier, Franck Cammas and their crew left the port of Lorient at daybreak this Sunday 12 February to make for the Jules Verne Trophy start line offshore of the island of Ushant. On standby since late December, the men of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild have decided to try their luck, despite the rather atypical weather window. Gitana Team is preparing to take on an almighty challenge: to beat the famous record set by IDEC (2017) in 40 days, 23 hours and 30 minutes. Always an exciting and emotional moment, the passage across the line is scheduled for midday this Sunday. The timing will be tweaked during the delivery trip to Ushant in consultation with Marcel van Triest, router for the five-arrow team.
It’s the start of a great adventure and so begins at last an oceanic race against the clock and one of the most thrilling challenges on the sailing planet. Charles Caudrelier and Franck Cammas, two of the most experienced sailors in the discipline, together with their four crew, are preparing to make a bid for the Jules Verne Trophy, the outright record for circumnavigating the globe under sail, unassisted and without stopovers.
Gambling on a unique weather window
The build-up to this moment has required a great deal of patience, a careful study of the evolution of conditions and the hunt for a favourable weather sequence between the North Atlantic and the South Atlantic. The standby commenced on 22 December 2022, just weeks after Charles Caudrelier’s victory in the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe. Since Friday, the meetings between the men of Gitana Team and their router, Marcel van Triest have been steadily increasing. Indeed, a window has opened up for the team to set sail from the north-west tip of Brittany, though it’s not an obvious one. Having deliberated for quite some time – the option looking less pertinent on Saturday morning – the situation turned around again in the hours leading up to the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild’s departure this Sunday morning from her port of registry in Lorient.
There’s no doubt that it’s a big gamble for the team, particularly in light of the atypical weather window. “It’s nigh on impossible to have the perfect scenario in any case,” Charles Caudrelier has admitted many times over recent weeks. Though the North Atlantic looks very favourable, the gateway into the South is not so obvious. Everyone knows that the team will need to give it their all, plus they’ll need an element of luck and success to facilitate their passage offshore.
Such are the intricacies of trying to establish a new record and the whole crew was well aware of this when casting off from the dock in Lorient this Sunday morning. Hearts were racing, faces became a little more intense and the ambiance was a mixture of excitement and heightened concentration. Indeed, at the end of this adventure, which will require everyone to give their best, there is an opportunity to rewrite history. On everyone’s minds is the previous record, set in 2017 by Francis Joyon and his men following an exceptional sequence of weather conditions: 40 days, 23 hours and 30 minutes.
The first accounts from on-board at the end of the Jules Verne Trophy attempt
The Maxi Edmond de Rothschild abandons her Jules Verne Trophy record attempt
Sailing in the Indian Ocean since yesterday afternoon and their passage of the longitude of Cape Agulhas, the men of Gitana Team were positioned at 48°28 south at 11:00 UTC with a lead of over 860 miles over the record when they informed their shore team of damage to the giant’s float rudder to starboard. After a thorough inspection carried out by David Boileau, the boat captain, the verdict is in. The appendage’s stock is seriously damaged, which means the rudder can no longer be used on this tack. With the six sailors unable to effect repairs in the open ocean as the part would need to be entirely replaced, the crew of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild has been forced to interrupt its Jules Verne Trophy record attempt. Indeed, it is inconceivable for Franck Cammas, Charles Caudrelier and their four crew to take on the Southern Ocean with a boat that is no longer performing at her full potential. It’s a massive disappointment, as much in the roaring forties as in Lorient, at the heart of the technical base, but the most important thing right now is that the crew is able to head into more hospitable latitudes.
Contacted by Cyril Dardashti, the director of the Gitana racing stable, Charles Caudrelier shared his first impressions:
“Everything was going well aboard. We were coming out of what was a tough night, with really heavy seas and a very shifty breeze, but things had improved since our gybe. Franck had just passed the helm to Morgan and a few minutes later there were some odd sensations and more and more vibration at the helm. We noticed that the leeward rudder, our starboard rudder, was moving around a lot from side to side. We brought the boat to a virtual standstill so David could go and look at the back of the float. Unfortunately, he quickly recognised that the rudder stock was seriously damaged. There was no particular impact to report prior to this observation and even though breakages are part and parcel of the history of our mechanical sport, we’re going to need to gain an understanding of what could have happened here. We cannot repair damage like this at sea and we can no longer use our rudder. We’ve raised it and now we’re sailing on port tack with no rudder. We are safe, but we are unable to go fast. The shore team and Marcel van Triest are looking at our options going forward, but one thing for sure is that the current health constraints related to the pandemic are complicating matters. We’ve turned back and we’re now setting a course towards Cape Town, which is around a two-day sea passage from here. In the meantime, we’ll decide whether we’re going to make a pit stop in South Africa or if we’ll make our own way straight back to Brittany.
It’s a massive disappointment for everyone involved! We are so sorry to have to stop here, because we really wanted to bring this Jules Verne Trophy home… for Benjamin de Rothschild, Ariane de Rothschild and all our team.
We’ve had 12 fabulous days aboard with an incredible crew and the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild has really driven the point home that she is a truly exceptional boat.”
Float rudder damage aboard the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild
Sailing in the Indian Ocean since yesterday afternoon and their passage of the longitude of Cape Agulhas, the men of Gitana Team were positioned at 48°28 south at 11:00 UTC with a lead of over 860 miles over the record when they informed their shore team that they’d encountered some problems with the rudder on the starboard float, which is the leeward rudder and hence the one under load. Having reduced its speed, the crew is currently carrying out a thorough inspection of the appendages and its connecting systems with its experts onshore. Further information will be communicated over the coming hours.
Plunging southwards
Since their successive passages yesterday of the Cape of Good Hope at 11:37 UTC and then Cape Agulhas four hours later, the men of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild are navigating the Indian Ocean. The six sailors are having to deal with sailing conditions the crew describe as difficult. Indeed, with strong and shifty winds in terms of force and short, cross seas, the journey south is no picnic, particularly in light of the fact that this dive down towards the austral latitudes is accompanied by a significant drop in temperature. At the 06:00 UTC position report, Franck Cammas, Charles Caudrelier and their four crew were positioned at 48°28 south and had a lead of 887 miles over Idec Sport.
In the thick of things
The contrast aboard the flying blue maxi-trimaran is striking. There’s no doubt about it, the crew, now the fastest of all time on the descent of the Atlantic, has switched sailing mode since entering the Indian Ocean, as detailed by Yann Riou, contacted at daybreak: “It hasn’t been a very pleasant night. The wind is particularly shifty in force and it’s very tough to get the Maxi making headway as she should and at a constant pace in these conditions. We’re doing our best, taking it in turns at the helm quite a lot, but it’s not always easy. The sea state is really poor, not big but short and crossed, which is forcing us to helm as the autopilot gets lost in this kind of sea. The conditions are putting a strain on the both the men and the boat.”
With the crew now sailing close to a latitude of 50° south, the atmosphere has clearly cooled on deck and below the cuddy of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild. “From one watch to the next, we can really feel the difference. We’ve been on a south-easterly heading since we passed the tip of South Africa and conditions today are a world apart from those yesterday. It’s been cold since last night and we’re having to equip ourselves accordingly before taking up our watch on deck. We’re here, it’s the Deep South!”, admitted the media crewman.
To tackle this new day in the Jules Verne Trophy record attempt, the sailors of Gitana Team have managed to retain a lead of over 887 miles in relation to their virtual adversary.
Best time ever recorded to the tip of South Africa, by way of a tribute to Benjamin de Rothschild
By leaving the longitude of Cape Agulhas in her wake this Thursday 21 January at 15h37’53’’ UTC, the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild has officially entered the Indian Ocean. After 11 days 14 hours and 3 minutes at sea, Franck Cammas, Charles Caudrelier and their four crew are attacking the Southern Ocean with a lead of more than 1 day 7 hours and 19 minutes over Francis Joyon and the men on Idec Sport. In so doing, they have become the fastest sailors in history on this descent of the Atlantic; a fantastic time which they naturally dedicate to Baron Benjamin de Rothschild, whose passing was announced just a few days ago.
Two capes and two new reference times
This twelfth day at sea has enabled the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild to secure her first accolades in her Jules Verne Trophy record attempt. After setting sail from Ushant on 10 January at 01h33’46’’ UTC, the six sailors passed the longitude of the Cape of Good Hope this Thursday morning at 11h27’46’’ UTC after 11 days 9 hours and 53 minutes at sea. In so doing, they improved on the reference time set by the crew on Banque Populaire in 2012 in the Jules Verne Trophy by 11 hours and 55 minutes. It’s also worth noting that until this 21 January, the outright record for this section of the course was held by a solo sailor with a time of 11 days 20 hours and 10 minutes. The latter was François Gabart who, in 2017, posted a staggering performance to the tip of South Africa. Some four hours later, at 15h37’53’’ UTC, Franck Cammas, Charles Caudrelier, David Boileau, Erwan Israël, Yann Riou and Morgan Lagravière repeated this performance at Cape Agulhas, arriving in the Indian Ocean with the best reference time and, most importantly, a lead of 1 day 7 hours and 19 minutes over the current Jules Verne Trophy holder.
“Less than 11 days 10 hours to get to Good Hope is great going, which means that it was a favourable weather window and we were right to snap it up! That said, we still feel like we lost some time along the way, especially in the doldrums, but we’re happy to be here and to be posting these speeds. Now comes the hard part,” admits Franck Cammas to Yann Riou’s camera.
In at the deep end in the Southern Ocean
The Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is navigating the first miles of her career in the Southern Ocean, as is the case for David Boileau and Morgan Lagravière, who are tackling their first passage across the Indian Ocean. However, the crew is all too aware, this is where things start to get serious! The first reason for this is that over this long section of the course in the Southern Ocean, Francis Joyon and his crew were brilliant and clearly broke new ground in relation to the Trophy thanks to a trajectory bordering on perfection; namely 5 days 21 hours to devour the Indian Ocean and then 7 days 21 hours till they made Cape Horn… The second reason is that the men of Gitana Team are plunging down towards latitudes which are never a trivial matter.
“It’s a fine first reference time since it’s the outright record over this course between Ushant and the tip of South Africa. Even though it’s a record that doesn’t really count for a lot, it’s important for us because it has enabled us to complete this passage with a lead of nearly 1 and a half days over the Jules Verne Trophy record held by Francis Joyon and that’s the objective we set ourselves. After that, Francis enjoyed a completely crazy Southern Ocean and we have very little chance of finding such conditions. Moreover, we won’t have such a quick Indian Ocean, so we’re delighted to have this cushion which, to my mind, is barely enough to stay ahead of him or level with him by the time we exit. As a result, our primary objective has been quite successful! On top of that, the boat is in tip-top condition and that’s the main thing!” concluded Charles Caudrelier.
By way of a tribute to Benjamin de Rothschild, our dear departed owner
Since last Friday, Gitana Team, the offshore racing stable he founded with his wife Ariane de Rothschild in 2000, has been mourning the loss of its owner. In our own way, from the sea he was so fond of, we wanted to pay him one last tribute. These new reference times, the best of all time over this section of the course, we dedicate to him and offer them to Ariane de Rothschild and her four daughters in his honour.
“The wake of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild will punctuate the history of flying boats and offshore racing. We could never thank Benjamin de Rothschild enough for having enabled us to embark on this incredible adventure and for having believed in this project and in our team to make it a reality. He managed to transform his heritage with boldness and passion. Every day we remember how lucky we are to be a part of this story and to have a chance to add new pages to this quite unique lineage”, stated Cyril Dardashti, director of Gitana.