Saturday 20 March 2010 at 21H 40M 45S (TU) Groupama 3 skippered by Franck Cammas with his crew of 9 crossed the finish line between the Lizzards and Ushant, winning the coveted Jules Verne Trophy.
It was a battle all the way as the weather conditions were never really 100% in their favour. Groupama’s advance on the record (established by Orange 2 in 2005) wavered throughout, but Franck was determined to wrest this prize once and for all, and add it to his already astonishing list of accomplishments. His tenacity and the determination of his experienced crew have, today, made that dream a reality.
A jubilant Vincent Lauriot Prévost spoke about the development of the 104′ (31.50m) trimaran:
„The question at the gestation of the project was the following:
Can we hope to break the record by reducing the size of the boat rather then creating something always bigger and more powerful? That was the challenge that Franck Cammas and team Groupama asked us to overcome together. We concentrated on maximising versatility and responsiveness, rather then on maximising power, in order to pass through the transition zones faster whilst trying to avoid conditions that were too violent. Groupama 3 was designed to fulfil this particular race strategy and evidently Franck and his crew responded perfectly and adopted the ideal methodology. The result is that the record was attainable despite the fact that the weather conditions were not ideal.
Bravo Groupama for your perseverance! Bravo to the crew for this magnificent circumnavigation.“
In the final analysis Groupama 3 had to cover 28, 523 nautical miles in total and came in to the finish ahead of the competition with an average speed of 24.26 knots.
Team VPLP was at Brest to welcome and congratulate Franck Cammas and his crew on their stunning victory.
It is the 3rd time a racing yacht designed by VPLP has won this mythical accolade in the history of the firm. The first was with Sport Elec in 1997, and then once more in 2004 with Geronimo. It is a credit to the naval architects at VPLP, who, in collaboration with their clients, produce consistently innovative and ground breaking (indeed record breaking) designs.
Data on Groupama 3 Non Stop Round the World Sailing Records
Departure Brest and cross the start line : 31st January 2010 @ 13h 55mn 53s UT
Arrival at The Lizards: 20 March 201O at 21 h 40 mn 45s UT
Distance Covered 28,523 nautical miles (52,825 km)
Average Speed 24.26 knots
The Record for the Jules Verne Trophy now stands at 48 Days 7 hours 44 minutes and 52 seconds
Difference with the previous record 2 Days 8 hours 35 minutes and 12 seconds