Category: Thomas Coville
Thomas Coville smashes the round-the-world record
On Sunday, Thomas Coville, at the helm of Ultim Sodebo, smashed the solo round-the-world sailing record, held since 2008 by Francis Joyon, currently vying for the Jules Verne Trophy.
In 2008, Francis Joyon finished his world tour in 57 days, 13 hours and 34 minutes. On Sunday, a little after 6 p.m., Thomas Coville picked up a splendid Christmas present by bettering this record by 8 days. The sailor from Brittany went over the finish line at Ushant after 49 days, 3 hours, 7 minutes and 38 seconds at sea. After three attempts in 2008, 2010 and 2011, the fourth was the one that would bring success to Coville, who has been sailing on Olivier de Kersauson’s former vessel since 2014.
Emotion flooded the sailor, originating from Rennes, while on the verge of pulling off this feat.
Francis Joyon, currently attempting a Jules Verne Trophy record, was keen to congratulate Coville: “Thomas has produced an incredible time over a perfectly handled course. Bravo to him. Bravo for his performance and his perseverance. With his boat that is larger and more heavily sailed than my trimaran Idec was, he raises the bar very high. A great deal of mastery will be necessary in the future to beat this time and to handle a succession of different weather systems with no transition in the way that Thomas has managed to. Only three of us, including Ellen, have completed this world tour in multihulls without stops, and we are aware of the utter commitment that Thomas needed to carry off this magnificent performance.”
The new record will be difficult to beat, namely for François Gabard, set to affront it next winter.
Isabelle Trancoen
Thomas Coville reaches Cape Horn in record time
On Thursday 8 December 2016 at 02 hours 20 minutes (French time), Thomas Coville, skipper of the trimaran Sodebo Ultim’, reached Cape Horn 4 days and 59 minutes ahead of the time set by Francis Joyon, holder of the solo round-the-world record since 2007.
Record solo Pacific crossing
This is the first time that a sailor has singlehandedly crossed the Pacific Ocean so quickly. Thomas Coville therefore set a new speed record this morning by achieving a solo Pacific crossing in 8 days, 18 hours, 28 minutes and 30 seconds (subject to approval and ratification by the WSSRC – World Sailing Speed Record Council).
He crossed the ocean’s 5,429 miles – in other words, 10,064 kilometers – at an average of 25.8 knots.
To get from the southern tip of Tasmania to Cape Horn, the skipper of Sodebo Ultim’ needed only 10 minutes more than Orange II, Bruno Peyron’s catamaran measuring nearly 40 meters which, in 2005, took 8 days and 18 hours with 14 men on board. And 39 minutes less than Groupama 3 in 2010, whose 10-man crew included Thomas Coville at the time.
Ushant – Cap Horn at high speed: a new reference time
Departing from Ushant on Sunday 6 November, Thomas Coville took 31 days, 11 hours, 30 minutes and 8 seconds to round the last of the three major capes on this circumnavigation route, after the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin in Australia’s south.
With an average speed of 25.33 knots, the Sodebo Ultim’ skipper has set a new solo reference time between Ushant and Cape Horn. He has sailed 19,142 miles since his departure – in other words, 35,450 km. He now has a straight-line distance of 7,000 miles to cover until Ushant. To beat Francis Joyon’s record, he’ll need to get back to Brest by 3 January 2017 at 04 hour 23 min 57 seconds (French time).
Source : www.sodebo.com
Thomas Coville hunts a new record
The sailing world is at full tilt this weekend. Not only is the 8th edition of the Vendée Globe starting while Francis Joyon with his Idec Sport crew wait to begin their Jules Verne Trophy attempt, Thomas Coville is also ready to set off at the helm of his multihull Sodebo. The sailor from Brittany is hoping to leave on Sunday for his attempt to beat the solo round-the-world record.
In Code Amber since Thursday, the Sodebo Ultim’ crew went into Code Green, on Saturday, for its attempt to beat the solo round-the-world record. This means a potential departure in the next 24 hours, in other words, on Sunday 6 November. Thomas plans to leave the Château de Brest port tomorrow morning at around 8 a.m.
As far as weather and routing go for the first part of the course until the Equator, a very fine departure is expected, with a practically straight-line route that will allow reaching the Equator in a little over 5 days. The next stage in the South Atlantic also offers the possibility of passing the Cape of Good Hope in good time.
Let’s remember that the solo round-the-world sailing record has been held, since 2008, by Francis Joyon (57 days, 13 hours and 34 minutes).
Source : www.sodebo.com