Groupama 3 returns to France

And heads straight back to her builder in Vannes

After more than two months since she capsized off the coast of New Zealand, Groupama 3 has finally returned home to Lorient after crossing the Pacific and Atlantic oceans on board a cargo ship. Franck Cammas and his team now have six months to prepare the 105ft maxi-trimaran before once again attempting the Jules Verne Trophy record.

Groupama 3 was unloaded from the cargo ship in Lorient's commerical port on Saturday where despite her battered state she was taken in tow by the coast guard vessel the Sieur Champlain, down the coast, through the Golfe du Morbihan and up to Vannes and the Multiplast yard. Under the direction of Team Manager Stephane Guilbaud and Yann Merour, this five hour delivery went without incident, despite the lack of a port float.

"Our objective is to be ready to tackle the Jules Verne Trophy at the end of the year," confirmed Franck Cammas. "To determine a precise date is difficult today because we do not yet have all the information needed for the repair work. The architects and engineers are working on it, but nothing has yet been fixed. It is always difficult to see a damaged boat like Groupama 3 return to where it has been built. However I was expecting her to be in worse condition."

The substantial repair work will include the construction of a new float port, repair to the starboard float and reinforced foam in the crossbeams and rebuilding the damaged crossbeams and deck. Meanwhile up the road in Lorient, Lorima will manufacture a new mast, identical to the previous one, while Incidences La Rochelle will make a new suit of sails.

Meanwhile Franck Cammas is continuing his sailing programme: the Grand Prix Chopard aboard a D35 on Lake Geneva, the Formula 18 Nationals Jérémy Lagarrigue and training aboard the Extreme 40 catamaran with the BMW Oracle Racing team in Valencia. In other words, the Groupama skipper is doing everything he can to keep his hand in.