Geronimo around the Horn

Time over Orange indicates how hard Pacific section has been

At 15:45 GMT (17:45 French time) this afternoon, Geronimo, the Cap Gemini and Schneider Electric sponsored trimaran passed the famous rock that symbolises the exit from the Pacific and the seas of the Southern Ocean. Geronimo passed Cape Horn after 41 days, 16 hours and 27 minutes at sea - 10 hours ahead of the current Jules Verne Trophy holder, Bruno Peyron and the crew of Orange, but 48 hours behind the new round-the-world record holder, Cheyenne.

Olivier de Kersauson and his 10-man crew have had an appalling Pacific crossing marked by deep and powerful depressions, confused and dangerous seas and whole days of surviving freezing southerly winds of over 50 knots. The final approach to the Horn demanded three days of slogging upwind, just as if they were sailing around the world in the opposite direction, the 'wrong' way.

Geronimo conquered Cape Leeuwin nearly 2 days, 19 hours ahead of Orange's 2002 time, so the Pacific has really slowed her progress.

Now the Atlantic lies ahead for the Cap Gemini and Schneider Electric trimaran; its southern half looks tough, but with following winds. This leg of Geronimo's attempt last year proved catastrophic, with an almost total absence of wind. The crew fervently hopes that they have done all the hard work this time round, and can look forward to a rather better welcome from the Atlantic