Solo, round-the-world speed record battle
Thomas Coville has been sailing to the point of exhaustion over the past seven days, making the most of every stormy squall to try and make up over four days on the solo, round the world record time. His 105-foot maxi-trimaran Sodeb’O is making headway close on the wind in very, very uncomfortable conditions in the South Atlantic.
The northerly wind – force 6 to 7 with 25 to 33 knots of breeze – is picking up a
short sea on the nose, which is causing both the sailor and the boat to suffer.
Coville is making easting in order to line himself up favourably in
relation to the tradewind.
Coville is now only 735 nm behind Francis Joyon’s record pace, and will have to
cross the finish line in Brest, France prior to 15th January, 03h27’20” UTC to
beat it.