16 March 2005

Bruno PEYRON (FRA) and his 13 crew on the 120 foot catamaran Orange II smashed the round the world record, reclaiming the Jules Verne Trophy with a time of 50 days, 16 hours, 20 minutes and 4 seconds.

Having first won the Jules Verne Trophy with a sub 80-day circumnavigation back in 1993, then winning it again in 2002 with the first sub 70-day time, PEYRON and his team completed the round the world course over 7 days and 17 hours ahead of the previous record – an incredible 13½ days quicker than the time he had set just three years previously.

Created by Gilles OLLIER, the 120 foot catamaran Orange II went through some teething troubles before PEYRON was able to unleash her phenomenal potential. Two attempts on the Jules Verne Trophy were abandoned in 2004, with Orange II going in for a refit to in order to prepare her for a record attempt at the start of 2005. Improved rudders a series of weight saving measures were the outcome, and incredible speeds were the result.

Orange II began her record attempt on 24 January 2005. After what looked to be an ideal weather pattern for the start collapsed, PEYRON and his team were behind time in the early stages, crossing the Equator after 7 days and 3 hours, a full day off the record time held by Olivier DE KERSAUSON (FRA).

However, PEYRON and navigator Roger NILSON (SWE) had also started with an eye on the weather developing in the South Atlantic, and with two days of pushing the boat hard were able to catch a front which would slingshot them to record-breaking pace. It proved to be one of the key decisions of the voyage, with Orange II able to play one weather system throughout the Southern Ocean.

In near-perfect conditions, Orange II demonstrated her capabilities and after just 23 days at seas PEYRON and his crew had already reached the halfway mark 2,000 nm ahead of the record holder Steve FOSSETT (USA). Cape Horn was rounded less than 33 days into the voyage, but shortly after progress was slowed when Orange II hit a whale. Fortunately there was no major damage and thanks to her speed to date, Orange II was still well on course for a new record and was even set to finish in under 50 days.

Then on day 43, PEYRON and his crew hit a ridge of high pressure which cut Orange II’s speed in half. For four days the frustrated crew watched on as their lead over the record gradually reduced and the chance of breaking the 50 day barrier slipped beyond their grasp.

Soon though the waiting was over and as the finish neared a 30 knot south southwesterly gave the giant catamaran the perfect accompaniment to the Lizard. Orange II powered in toward the finish, recording 640 nm in her 60th day at sea before crossing the finish line off Ushant at 02:23 UTC to smash the records of FOSSETT and DE KERSAUSON, reuniting the Jules Verne Trophy with the world record and once again writing PEYRON’s name in the record books.

Last year Bruno PEYRON (FRA) and Orange II were on the record trail again, this time shattering Steve FOSSETT’s (USA) transatlantic record, finishing the course from Ambrose Light, USA to Lizard Point, Great Britain in just 4 days, 8 hours, 23 minutes and 54 seconds .

After much debate and discussion around the meeting rooms at the 2005 ISAF Annual Conference, the Medal Race format for the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition was introduced.