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Since setting out from Ushant on December 15, 2025, the crew of Sodebo Ultim 3 have been unfolding their Jules Verne Trophy attempt with consistency and commitment. One month to the day after the start, the trimaran led by Thomas Coville remains ahead of the time set by IDEC Sport in 2017. But as the North Atlantic approaches, every decision counts.
A month of high-intensity sailing
In 30 days at sea, Thomas Coville, Benjamin Schwartz, Frédéric Denis, Pierre Leboucher, Léonard Legrand, Guillaume Pirouelle and Nicolas Troussel have validated all the key passages. With reference times at the Cape of Good Hope, Leeuwin and Cape Horn, a Pacific record and a sustained average speed, the record books remain solid.
On Wednesday, Sodebo Ultim 3 crossed its own Atlantic track. A symbolic moment for the crew. " That means we've circumnavigated Antarctica in 28 days underlines Thomas Coville. Despite the fact that the route has been extended by around 10% compared with IDEC Sport's 2017 route, i.e. by almost 1,570 extra miles, the trimaran still has a small lead.
The South Atlantic as judge of the peace
Since rounding Cape Horn on Sunday, January 11, the crew has been busy sailing up the South Atlantic. A delicate exercise, marked by the presence of the St. Helena High.
"The anticyclone is not formed in the classic way" explains Philippe Legros, head of the routing unit. In the western part of the course, a windless zone will force the crew to make a wide turn around the course. The trimaran should then find a moderate trade wind flow, before once again having to deal with light, unstable winds. A phase in which strategy and patience take precedence over raw speed.
The equator in sight
If the weather scenario holds, Sodebo Ultim 3 is expected to reach the equator next Monday morning. This passage will mark the start of the last major section of the course, the ascent of the North Atlantic towards Ushant.
The Jules Verne Trophy record, held by IDEC Sport since 2017 in 40 days and 23 hours, imposes a clear deadline. Sodebo Ultim 3 must cross the finish line before Sunday, January 25, 2026, at 8:31 p.m. French time, if it is to add its name to the list of winners.
Ten days of tension
On board, the state of mind remains lucid. " Every upcoming deadline is going to be important "reminds Thomas Coville. The skipper insists on the need to stay focused. " It's up to us to keep a cool head and stay focused on the wind, the strategy and the trajectory.
The next ten days are shaping up to be the most nervously demanding. But the crew is moving forward with one certainty. The boat is intact, and so is the team. A major asset as we enter the home stretch of an attempt where history is now being made in a matter of hours.
