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2007/07/20-21h47
Groupama 3 new 24 hour record holder* after clocking up 784.4 miles!
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| New York - Lizard Point |
| Ever faster, ever further...Fantasy for some, victory for others! At this particular game of 'I'm the quickest', Groupama
3 and Franck Cammas have just deposed Bruno Peyron, previous record holder for the greatest distance covered in 24 hours*
by a sailing boat, devouring 784.4 miles during their first day's sailing at an average speed of 32.68 knots. In so doing
they have improved on the previous record by 17 miles. Unfortunately, a few minutes prior to completing their first 24 hour
stint, the port foil of the maxi trimaran broke. Fortunately the damage won't compromise Groupama 3's record attempt.
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Since setting out from New York on Thursday evening at 2002 hours (UK time), Franck and his nine crew have been driving the
maxi trimaran Groupama 3 at a hellish pace, racking up higher and higher averages as each hour passes.
Aboard the
trimaran the helmsmen are being rotated every hour. The concentration necessary to get the boat running well is similar to
that of fighter pilot. Still on flat seas, the Van Peteghem - Lauriot Prévost designed boat is making cracking speed. Everything
onboard that's not fixed in place has been shifted to windward and starboard aft in order to further increase the power of
Groupama 3: "Going quickly puts a lot of pressure on the whole crew, particularly the helmsmen. Groupama 3 is a safe boat
at these speeds and that's why we can push her like this" detailed Franck during a telephone session at the end of this record."
Making
the very most of the wind and the sea state are the only things on their minds. As professional sailors, they are entirely
dedicated to this. Cammas leads by example. A competitor through and through, he knows that this 24 hour record is within
his grasp. It's up to him and his crew to get the best from this all too familiar universe, with or without the port foil:
"I was leaving the chart table to tell the crew that Peyron's record was broken when I heard a bizarre cracking sound.
It was the port foil which had just given up the ghost whilst loaded".
Though the skipper of Groupama 3 was clearly
saddened by this damage, his spirits remain high: "The 800 mile barrier in 24 hours was within our grasp. Right now, we're
concentrating on the North Atlantic record, which we believe to be feasible as from Saturday afternoon, we'll be sailing on
another tack and will be back at 100% of Groupama 3's potential".
* A record held by Groupama 3 and hers crew
from July 21, 2007 to August 1st, 2009
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24 hours record historyDuring the Columbus Route in 1984, the Canadian Mike Birch and his crew reached a daily distance of over 500 miles on board
Formule Tag...
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