RACING NEWS
Words by Mark Orr
Groupama battling
add to our list of wins. It augurs well for the next stage in the
programme as Groupama 3 is really quick".
hard on two fronts
Next up is another attempt on the west to east transatlantic
record from New York to the Lizard. Franck Cammas and
Looking smart, new and very striking in her new livery
his nine crew beat the Atlantic crossing record on 24th July
Groupama 3 was relaunced in Lorient on 11 February. A
2007 in 4 days 03 hours 57 minutes and 54 seconds, at an
year earlier she had capsized whilst 80 miles south of New
average speed of 29.26 knots across a 2,925 mile course;
Zealand following the failure of her port float. Fortunately
improving on the time set by Bruno Peyron by 4 hours 26
no lives were lost and the boat was completely recovered.
minutes.
Rebuilt, modified and improved Groupama 3 has since
sailed through the Mediterranean meeting commitments
Yet the giant trimaran didn't have ideal conditions for this
for her sponsor and returned in late April to prepare for her
historic record, officially established for the first time on 11th
first record of the season – the Mediterranean record.
June 1905 by the schooner Atlantic and helmed by the
Guided by Sylvain Mondon of Meteo France the 105ft maxi
legendary Charlie Barr. In 102 years, this reference time has
trimaran left Marseilles at 0719hrs on Friday 15 May and
been beaten nine times by multihulls, but the advances in
just 17 hours 08 minutes and 23 seconds she crossed the
speed have increased virtually threefold! Indeed Groupama 3
finish line abeam of the Ras Quartajamah lighthouse on
maintained a deafening average speed of over 29 knots for
Cap Carthage to set a new record.
over four days... It was an unimaginable feat just ten years
ago, since it is greater than that of steamships which still
Franck Cammas just minutes after crossing the finish
cross the Atlantic today.
line: "We had a very good first section of the course with
peaks of speed reaching in excess of 42 knots. However,
Will they get under four days!!
the final section was more difficult with some lighter
winds than forecast, which were very variable in terms of
Whilst Groupama 3 is living up to all expectations,
direction. It was a feisty passage as the seas were short
unfortunately this won't be the case for the ORMA circuit
and breaking but Groupama 3 behaved very well. We
in which Groupama 2 was racing as, due to a lack of
didn't break a thing and the crew was fantastic. We'll arrive
competitors, the triple world champion in the series has been
in Hammamet in a few hours' time with a fifth record to
put into storage in Groupama team's yard in Lorient. To fill
Just after the start of the Mediterranean record Pic by Yann Zedda
46 MULTIHULL REVIEW : JUNE 2009
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