Geronimo crosses line

De Kersauson hot on the heels of Fossett

Olivier de Kersauson and his maxi-trimaran Geronimo set off on their latest bid to break the Jules Verne Trophy this evening, crossing the start line between Le Créac'h lighthouse Ushant and Lizard Point at 20:21:22.

De Kersauson and his crew on board the Cap Gemini Schneider Electric-sponsored tri will therefore have to arrive back off Ushant before 04:57:46 on 13 April if they are to break the Jules Verne Trophy record 64 days 8 hours 37 minutes and 40 seconds set by Bruno Peyron and the crew of Orange in 2002

With less than 15 knots of wind on the starting line, the conditions remained modeerate, but corresponded to the data transmitted by the forecasters. The crossing of the Bay of Biscay should take place at a reasonable speed on the southern side of a high pressure system centred over the English Channel.

On board, de Kersauson's crew has 18 round the world credits between them. Aside from de Kersauson are his two watchleaders Yves Pouillaude and Didier Ragot while the crew comprises: Pierre Corriveaud, Franck Ferey, Pascal Blouin, Rodolphe Jacq, Antoine Deru, Armand Coursaudon, Philippe Laot, and Xavier Briault. So 10 in total.

The job is to get to the Equator. Orange succeeded in making this passage in 7 days 22 hours. Last year on Geronimo's failed bid, they managed to cover this passagein 6 days and 11 hours - the present record.

Geronimo had left her berth in Brest Arsenal at 16:30 this afternoon. Under mainsail and solent, she set a course directly to the start line north of Ushant, accompanied by a number of other boats carrying family and friends.

As Olivier de Kersauson slipped his moorings, he had this to say as his parting shot: “This is not a huge, wide-open door. We’re happy to make our way up there, but it’ll be at 5 knots close to the wind”. If the forecast is right, the 15 knots of easterly wind will give them the flying start they are looking for. The following sequence of weather systems should then give them a 'good' passage to the Equator of around eight days.

“We beat the record for the leg to the Equator last year, but that looks impossible with the weather as it is now” says de Kersauson. Having been moored alongside and waiting for six weeks, the crew is very keen to get on with the job, but are keeping open the option of turning for home and restarting if today’s forecasts prove inaccurate over the first three day sat sea.