Navigator Thomas Coville (Sodebo) crossed the finish line of the Ultim Challenge in Brest (Finistère) on Thursday, completing his ninth sailing trip around the world, in second position behind the winner of the event Charles Caudrelier.
He too wrote the history of his sport.
By completing this first solo round-the-world race between trimarans, the courageous Coville, 55, completed his 9th circumnavigation under sail since 1997, a record for a Frenchman, and the 5th solo.
At 2:42 p.m. Thursday, the Sodebo Ultim 3, a giant of the seas measuring 32 m long by 23 m wide, crossed the line off the coast of Brest, under a Breton drizzle and in rough seas, before heading towards the port of town to moor.
The Rennais, first to pass the symbolic mark of 50 days around the world alone in 2016 - 49 days, 3 hours and 7 minutes - during a successful record attempt, this time completed a journey of 53 days, 1 hour and 12 minutes at sea.
𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐃𝐄 𝐋𝐀 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐍𝐄
Thomas Coville crosses the finish line of the ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE- Brest!
A joy that is transmitted to his team which accompanies him and... to his boat 🙏 pic.twitter.com/zNLjbAzjLw
— ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE - Brest (@ARKEAULTIMCHALL) February 29, 2024
This is around 48 hours more than Charles Caudrelier (Maxi Edmond de Rothschild), winner on Tuesday in Brest in 50 days 19 hours 7 minutes.
Like Caudrelier, Coville stopped only once during his world tour.
At the end of January, he made a stopover in Hobart (Australia) to repair the forward balcony of his ship, torn off in the Indian Ocean, as well as the system for lowering the foils, these appendages which allow the ship to rise above some water.
𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐄𝐋 𝐋𝐄 𝐂𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐂'𝐇 𝐀 𝐑𝐄́𝐔𝐒𝐒𝐈 𝐀̀ 𝐑𝐄́𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐑
After tinkering all night, Armel Le Cléac'h found more than favorable speeds this Thursday morning.
➡️ https://t.co/O9FCglN1Gn pic.twitter.com/FPFJwGsLQo
— ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE - Brest (@ARKEAULTIMCHALL) February 29, 2024
Victim of damage to the front deck of the boat, which led to a leak, Armel Le Cléac'h spent the night repairing his Maxi Banque Populaire XI, and regained higher speeds this Thursday morning.
Still in third place, he heads towards Brest and should arrive on Sunday.