On stand-by since October 22, François Gabart started this Saturday, November 4 at 10:05 (French time) to the assault of the record of the round the world solo. The skipper of the MACIF trimaran left his home port of Port-la-Forêt on Friday night to head for the start of the world tour between the Créac’h lighthouse in Ouessant and the Lizard Cape. in southwest England, before setting off in a wind of 18 knots from the northwest.
To break the record, held since December 25, 2016 by Thomas Coville in 49 days 3 hours 4 minutes and 28 seconds, François Gabart will have to cut the finish line before December 23 at 13:09 (French time). In addition to working tirelessly to advance his trimaran 30 meters as quickly as possible, it should benefit from a sequence of favorable weather conditions. To begin with those encountered on the first stretch to the equator, Thomas Coville had crossed last year after 5 days 17 hours 11 minutes and 52 seconds.