Round Britain Record Falls to Thomas Coville
Tuesday, August 15, 2006 -
Thomas Coville single-handedly beats the Round Britain Record by 26 hours aboard Sodeb’O
The skipper takes his 4th solo record in 13 months and qualifies for the Route du Rhum
Thomas has slept 15 hours over the past 6 days and returns from a voyage that has taken him beyond 60 degrees North. The skipper of the Trimaran Sodeb’O crossed the finish line on Monday night at 21 hours, 31 minutes and 44 seconds (French time). Setting out from South of the Isle of Wight at 14hr51’13’ last Tuesday, Thomas took 6 days, 6 hours, 40 minutes and 31 seconds to complete the 1787 miles around England, Ireland and Scotland, reaching as far North as the Shetland Islands at an average speed of 11.86 knots.
In so doing he breaks Jean-Luc Van Den Heede’s record of 7 days, 8 hours and 47 minutes along the same course in May 2005, aboard his 25 m aluminium monohull Adrien. Sodeb’O improved on the original record by 1 day, 2 hours and 7 minutes.
Since July 2005, this is Thomas’ 4th solo record at the helm of Sodeb’O, after the Route of Discovery, the Miami – New York and the Channel Crossing.
This performance has also been validated by Sylvie Viant (UNCL-National Offshore Racing Union) as qualification for La Route du Rhum.
Given the extremely testing conditions, Thomas compares the voyage to climbing to the top of a mountain. This Round Britain Record is a first for a solo sailor aboard a 60 foot multihull.
The skipper of Sodeb’O has once again pitted himself against a region that was previously unknown to him. This was a great sequel to his three round the worlds, over 20 Atlantic Crossings and racing in the Persian Gulf and the China Sea, prior to discovering these neighbouring shores, which are poorly frequented and hostile, reminiscent of the Deep South. Garrulous despite the fatigue, here are just some of his initial impressions:
“Initially I feel a sense of deliverance. The last night was stressful. The boat was hurtling along at 25 knots through the fields of oil platforms in the North Sea.”
“I will remember the images of the North of Scotland for a long time. A splendid, isolated country, where the nature is pure and where I saw the ocean and the solitude in a way I haven’t seen it since the Jules Verne Trophy and the Vendée Globe…With the additional tension of sailing single-handed in a multihull.”
“This record felt like climbing to the top of a mountain. There was a long and difficult climb against the wind as far as the Shetland Isles, then a ski-like descent where you get the pleasure that comes with gliding, added to which is the risk of falling as you have when you’re part of a rope party. When Sodeb’O hit that object, I thought everything would stop but the boat was safe and we finished.”
“I slept for 15 hours in 6 days. I talked to myself a lot and had various hallucinations.”
“Putting yourself to the test forms part of the preparation for the Route du Rhum. Going through the basics over and over again so as not to be surprised by the speed, handling unforeseen situations and knowing where the boat can go.”
“I thought a great deal about the new Sodeb’O currently under construction in Australia and about my future solo round the world, which will surely bring back memories of this trip around the British Isles. This record was also with that in mind !
Solo records held by Sodeb’O
> Discovery Route from Cadiz-San Salvador (July 2005) in 10d 11h 5’46’’ with an average speed of 15.41 knots
> Miami-New York (July 2005) in 3d 5h12’’ at an average speed of 12.3 knots
>Channel Crossing from Cowes-Dinard (July 2006) in 7h 55’47’’
|
