Trophée Jules Verne : les dernières infos Tip & Shaft

Confronted with particularly heavy conditions as it approaches Cape Finisterre at the very end of its journey, Sodebo Ultim 3 remains well-positioned to claim the Jules Verne Trophy this weekend and break Idec Sport’s record (40 days 23 hours and 30 minutes in 2017), which will happen if it crosses the line before Sunday, 8:31 PM.

The eight-female crew of Idec Sport, led by Alexia Barrier, set sail at 2.40pm on Saturday 29 November for their first attempt at the Jules Verne Trophy as part of The Famous Project CIC, with the aim of setting a women’s record time. Sailorz spoke with the boat’s co-skipper, experienced British sailor Dee Caffari (42), who has six circumnavigations under her belt, on Friday morning as Idec Sport entered the Doldrums.

Managing Director of Team Spirit Racing, the structure set up in 2021 by Paprec and Arkéa to support Yoann Richomme’s Imoca project, Romain Ménard takes stock of the Vendée Globe campaign, which finished on the second step of the podium, and looks ahead to what’s next.

Having set out on 30 November to conquer the Jules Verne Trophy, held since January 2017 by Idec Sport (Francis Joyon) in 40 days 23 hours and 30 minutes, Sodebo Ultim 3 had to interrupt her attempt on Tuesday 3 December due to a broken central rudder, before returning to Lorient a week later. Tip & Shaft took the opportunity to talk to its skipper, Thomas Coville.

On Friday, Alexia Barrier and her team from The Famous Project relaunched Idec Sport, Francis Joyon’s former trimaran at the Multiplast yard in Vannes, aboard which the 44-year-old sailor intends to tackle the Jules Verne Trophy at the end of 2025 with an all-female crew. An opportunity for Tip & Shaft to chat with her.

Last Tuesday at the Paris headquarters of Unesco Alexia Barrier officially launched her Famous Project, outlining her 100% female Jules Verne Trophy challenge which will be aboard Idec Sport, supported by the CIC and the Idec Group. Tip & Shaft tells you how the sailor managed to set up this Famous Project.

Although Gitana Team is extending its stand-by for a few more days, the Spindrift Racing team announced on Wednesday that, after four months of fruitless waiting, it is giving up on tackling the Jules Verne Trophy for this season. Never has the crewed round the world record which has been set by Francis Joyon since 2017 been held for so long.

On stand-by for a renewed attempt on the Jules Verne Trophy since early October, Spindrift 2, which had to turn back a year ago after a rudder failure has then had to stand down from the end of the month as problems with the new rudders emerged and they have had to go into the boatyard. Now, Yann Guichard and his crew of eleven sailors are back on stand-by, hoping for a window before mid-December. It’s a good time for Tip & Shaft to talk with the skipper.