This weekend was lively in Ushant Bay with the start of two round-the-world tours. One upright - François Gabart on his trimaran Macif - and one upside down, against the prevailing winds and currents - Yves le Blévec on the multihull Actual.
Left on November 4, 2017 in an attempt to break the record for this incredibly difficult challenge, Yves le Blévec is forced to turn back. After a night in a north-westerly wind gusting to 36 knots, and as he had just rounded Cape Finisterre, the skipper of the black and red trimaran broke his mainsheet traveller. Having crossed the start line at 15 h 37' 22', he had already covered more than 400 miles in less than 24 hours.
She has turned around to reach Trinité-sur-Mer and is sailing in a north-northeast flow of 20 knots. He will have to make repairs to get back on track as quickly as possible.
To beat the round the world record for the reverse circumnavigation of the globe - never before attempted by a multihull - Yves le Blévec will have to do better than Jean-Luc Van Den Heede, who in 2004 completed the course in 122 days.
