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Round The World Sailing Record

New Round The World Sailing Record for Fossett and Crew on Cheyenne

58 Days 9 Hours 32 mins 45 secs • Nearly 6 days faster than previous mark

lundi 5 avril 2004 – Redaction SSS [Source RP]

58 days 9 hours 32 mins 45 secs after taking the start on February 7th, American skipper Steve Fossett and his international crew of 12 aboard the 125’ maxi-catamaran Cheyenne crossed the official WSSRC start-finish line here at Le Stiff lighthouse on the French island of Ouessant (Ushant). They have just demolished the 2 year old Round The World Sailing record - by almost 6 days (an improvement of 5d 23h 4m 39s). Their time topples the May, 2002 mark of Bruno Peyron and Orange I - and fulfils Fossett’s decade old ambition to achieve ‘the most important record in sailing’.


Steve Fossett Speaking from Cheyenne via satellite phone at the finish line :

"The past 24 hours were slow at first, but improving winds became very strong by the time we crossed the line with 2 reefs and staysail ú it was very dramatic ú we had our hands full - around this island the tides were whirling. Everyone is just so happy ú we are all emotionally drained. It’s quite a celebration. Everybody on this crew is absolutely delighted ; this is a satisfying moment for all of us."

When asked if he ever thought he would not make it Steve said.

“When we started out I thought the chance was 50/50 that we would get around. Then I wondered that the boat might not be fast enough...”

• Official RTW record

The official WSSRC course calls for an eastbound passge from Ouessant, leaving the 3 great capes - Cape of Good Hope (S. Africa), Cape Leeuwin (SW Australia) and Cape Horn (Argentina) - to Port, returning up the Atlantic to Ouessant. The past 8 weeks have seen Fossett and Cheyenne cover over 25, 000 miles along this course at a blistering pace, through every sort of weather, accompanied by a fistful of new RTW segment records - averting numerous potential technical disasters - including a separated forestay, shorted out instrumentation, broken mast track and (just this week) a disintegrating forward beam connection at the starboard hull - all resolved in a series of astonishing ’running repairs’ by Cheyenne’s brilliant crew.

• Cheyenne’s RTW crew

– Steve Fossett (skipper) USA
– Adrienne Cahalan (navigator) AUS
– David Scully (watch captain) USA
– Brian Thompson (watch captain) GB
– Jacques Vincent (watch captain) FRA
– Guillermo Altadill ESP
– Mike Beasley NZL
– Fraser Brown NZL
– Mark Featherstone GB
– Damian Foxall IRE
– Nick Leggatt ZA
– Justin Slattery IRE
– Paul Van Dyke USA

• The following RTW segment records have been set

– Ushant - Leeuwin 25 Days 14 Hours 8 mins
– Ushant - Cape Horn 39 Days 16 Hrs 15 mins
– Ushant - 2nd Equator 50 Days 3 Hours 2 min
– Indian Ocean crossing 9 Days 20 Hrs 29 mins
– Cape Horn - Equator 10 Days 6 Hrs 47 mins
– Equator - Ushant 8 Days 6 Hrs 30 mins

Voir en ligne : www.fossettchallenge.com

• Bruno Peyron’s reaction

Bruno Peyron’s reaction to the American Steve Fossett setting a new record time for sailing around the world with a crew (WSSRC time).

On two occasions holder of the Jules Verne Trophy, (1993 aboard Commodore Explorer in 79 days, then in May 2002 aboard Orange I in 64 days), Bruno Peyron has given up the place he held for almost two years as record holder for sailing non-stop and without assistance around the world with a crew. Although they didn’t achieve their performance within the framework of the Jules Verne Trophy, the American yachtsman and his crew are now the fastest at sailing around the planet, following a circumnavigation that went without the slightest hitch, setting the record at 58 days, 9 hours, 32 mn, 45 sc. Here is Bruno Peyron’s reaction : « I congratulate all the crew of Cheyenne on their sporting achievement having sailed around the world. I can see that this boat has clearly once again shown her great potential, adding again today to an impressive number of ocean racing records. All the crew of Orange join with me to express our sincere admiration of the talent, courage and determination that such an exploit entails. I regret that this new record circumnavigation time was not placed within the reference of the Jules Verne Trophy. It is a pity that individualism and various personal concerns lead to situations that are harmful to the public interest and lead to a certain amount of confusion for the general public. As for the purely sporting element, we know full well that a record is made to be beaten and that our giant cat Orange II has got what it takes and certainly has once again the full potential to pick up the gauntlet. We are ready and are definitely not the sort of people to give in that easily...".

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