It's official! Francis Joyon and his five crew members - Bernard Stamm, Alex Pella, Gwénolé Gahinet, Clément Surtel and Sébastien Audigane - received their Jules Verne Trophy on Thursday 27 April 2017, at the Musée de la Marine Nationale in Paris. Three months after their record, they were finally able to hold in their hands this sculpture in sustentation in space (it is held in the air by a magnetic field), created by the American Thomas Shannon.
"I don't think much about this adventure, because I'm projecting myself into the future. This evening's award ceremony is an opportunity to look back on this epic story and get a glimpse of all the players. We're very proud to be following in the footsteps of sailors like Robin Knox Johnson, Peter Blake and Bruno Peyron. I'm very proud to receive this Trophy from the hands of Sir Robin" says Francis Joyon.
The former holder of the Trophy - Loïck Peyron - is currently in Bermuda preparing for the America's Cup. Pierre-Yves Moreau, one of the thirteen crew members of the previous record, handed over the Trophy to the six sailors of Idec Sport. He was accompanied by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, holder of the Jules-Verne in 1994 alongside the late Peter Blake in 1994 (Enza New Zealand), in 74 days.
Sébastien Audigane, currently on convoy in the Atlantic, was missing, replaced on the photo by Marcel Van Triest, onshore router.
Jules Verne Trophy in 40 days
On 26 January 2017, after a first unsuccessful departure on 20 November 2016 and a second departure on 16 December, the men of Idec Sport entered the history of the crewed round-the-world race with a reference time of 40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes and 30 seconds. The six sailors shattered the previous record held by Loïck Peyron in 2012, on the Banque Populaire trimaran, by nearly 5 days. One hell of a performance achieved by Francis Joyon, with a smaller boat and fewer men aboard.
The 9 successful attempts of the Jules Verne Trophy
- FRANCIS JOYON/IDEC-SPORT 2017
40 DAYS 23:00 | 30MIN | 30S
- LOÏCK PEYRON/BANQUE POPULAIRE V
45 DAYS 1:00 PM | 42MIN | 53S 2012
- FRANCK CAMMAS/GROUPAMA 3
48 DAYS 7 AM | 44MIN | 52S 2010
- BRUNO PEYRON/ORANGE II
50 DAYS 16:00 | 20MIN | 4S 2005
- KERSAUSON /GERONIMO OLIVE TREE
63 DAYS 13:00 | 59MIN | 46S 2004
- BRUNO PEYRON/ORANGE
64 DAYS 8 AM | 37MIN | 24S 2002
- KERSAUSON OLIVE TREE /SPORT-ELEC
71 DAYS 14:00 | 22MIN | 8S 1997
- PETER BLAKE & ROBIN KNOX-JOHNSTON /ENZA NEW ZEALAND
74 DAYS 22H | 17MIN | 22S 1994
- BRUNO PEYRON/COMMODORE EXPLORER
79 DAYS 6AM | 15MIN | 56S 1993
