Just crowned with the title of "sailor of the decade", Franck Cammas is setting out for a new oceanic adventure with his accomplice Charles Caudrelier, another star in ocean racing.
With them, Erwan Israel, Morgan Lagravière, David Boileau and Yann Rious tackle the Jules-Verne Trophy, the crewed round-the-world record.
The lucky sailors of the maxi-trimaran Edmond de Rohtschild, the first 100% flying multihull designed by architect Guillaume Verdier and launched in 2017, will cross the virtual starting line between Ouessant and Cap Lizard (the most south of England) overnight from Saturday to Sunday.
With the goal of being back no later than February 19 to improve the benchmark time set in 2017 by Francis Joyon and the Idec Sport crew in 40 days 23 hours and 30 minutes.
The bar is high.
By way of comparison, Cammas broke the record in 48 days on Groupama in 2010.
Discover the route of the # TrophéeJulesVerne.
⏱ Record to beat and currently held by @FrancisJoyon and the Idec Sport crew ‣ 40 d 23 h 30 min # GitanaTeam # FlyingOffshorepic.twitter.com / qtFEq8IFrj
- GitanaTeam (@GitanaTeam) January 9, 2021
After an aborted first attempt at the end of November due to a shock with an ofni in the descent of the Atlantic, the Gitana Team, once the repairs had been made in Lorient, scrutinized the weather with the router Marcel Van Triest, at the look out for the slightest favorable opening.
She arrived.
“We have set ourselves the goal of arriving in less than five days at the equator and in 11 and a half days at Cap des Aiguilles, at the gateway to the Indian Ocean.
And there it is, at least on the routes.
The situation is not yet completely settled in the South Atlantic, but it is a good window, perhaps the best that we have had since the start of our stand-by ”, explains Charles Caudrelier.
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Crossing the Cape of Good Hope ahead of the record is almost a prerequisite for continuing the adventure in the deep South.
Because Joyon had benefited from silky conditions on the rest of the course to steal the record from Loïck Peyron in a big way (less 5 days).
"Especially in the Indian Ocean, where it would take an incredible chance to do as well", explained to Figaro Caudrelier before the first attempt.
“He was also very quick in the North Atlantic climb.
On these two portions, with fantastic weather, he won two or three days, continues Franck Cammas.
For us, the margin is low. ”
“There is a day-a day and a half to gain in the descent of the Atlantic which had been bad for Idec (13 days).
We can also save time crossing the Pacific and up the South Atlantic, ”says Caudrelier.
For this, the duo and their four teammates rely on the extraordinary strengths of their mount.
When he is resting on his only appendages (foils, T-rudders and wing fin under the central hull), Edmond de Rohtschild flies and spins very fast, closer to 50 knots than 40 at top speed.
May still be necessary that the state of the sea allows it.
“We will fly more than 50% of the time,” Caudrelier predicts.
Cammas' touch of the helm and that of prodigy Morgan Lagravière will be decisive in keeping the trimaran airy.
“When you break the flight, you immediately lose 25% of speed.
Flying consistently while avoiding runway excursions requires a lot of concentration on these fickle boats.
You have to have very strong reactions and fatigue sets in very quickly, ”says Cammas.
The time for (re) takeoff has come.
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