Early Wednesday, two 100′ long foiling maxi-trimarans, Sodebo and Maxi Edmond de Rothschild/Gitana 17 set out to race around the globe to attempt to win the Jules Verne Trophy. Sailing within hours of each other, Sodebo crossed the starting line, which lies between the Créac’h lighthouse (Ouessant) and the Lizard in south-west England, at 0255 (CET). An hour and a half later, Edmond de Rothschild, followed.

Technically, the two tris are not racing each other. Each is racing the clock. The Jules Verne Trophy is awarded to the challenger who breaks the previous Jules Verne record of the round the world voyage under sail. The current record of 40 days 23 hours 30 minutes 30 seconds was set by Francis Joyon sailing IDEC Sport in 2017.

The winner holds the trophy until such time as his/her record has been bettered. The boats must solely be propelled by natural forces of the wind and of the crew, but the trophy is open to any type of boat with no restrictions. Crew size is not restricted either.

The circumnavigation must be completed non-stop and with no physical outside assistance, although on-shore weather routing is allowed. The challengers must respect certain safety rules.

The race was inspired by Jules Verne novel Around the World in Eighty Days in which Phileas Fogg traverses the planet by land and sea) in 80 days. The trophy was first awarded to the first yacht which sailed around the world in less than 80 days. In 1993, Bruno Peyron sailing the catamaran Explorer won the trophy for a voyage of 79 days 6 hours 15 minutes 56 seconds.

Since then 18 crews have attempted to claim the trophy and eight have succeeded. If either of the two current racers hopes to claim the trophy, they will have to arrive back off the coast of Brest before January 5th, 2021.

Thomas Coville is the skipper of the Sodebo with a total crew of eight. Franck Cammas and Charles Caudrelier, are co-skippers of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild/Gitana 17, with a total crew of six.

Around the world in 40 days? Onboard tour of Thomas Coville’s radical new Ultime Sodebo