Category: Jules Verne Trophy 2020/2021

 

The situation in the South Atlantic was not offering the right conditions for Sails of Change to reach the Cape of Good Hope in around a dozen days. Jean-Yves Bernot, onshore router for Dona Bertarelli and Yann Guichard’s team, discusses these meteorological uncertainties …

 

Why have there been a succession of postponed starts for the Jules Verne Trophy record campaign?

Sails of Change had favourable conditions to make rapid headway as far as Cape Frio (offshore of Rio de Janeiro). In theory, the timing was right, very favourable in fact, for the maxi-trimaran to cross the equator, but after that, there was so much instability around the Saint Helena High, that the passage time off the Cape of Good Hope was not good …

 

But there were two scheduled starts in November!

In both instances, there were no low-pressure systems forming off Brazil to propel the boat very quickly towards South Africa. These are minor issues, but there was just a six-hour window for Sails of Change to hook onto a favourable system… Six hours of uncertainty in an eight-day forecast may sound small, but it matters a lot! These two ‘code greens’ are also linked to the volatility of these long-term weather forecasts.

 

 

A decision has to be made…

There’s a ‘code green’ when there’s an opportunity to set sail and the whole Spindrift team has to be poised to go! It’s important to point out that weather data is updated every twelve hours and it is provided by both American and European models. If they aren’t showing the same situation over several days, you have to at least wait until they agree on a similar configuration. That’s all part of a record attempt like this: it’s vital not to miss an opportunity and to remain ready to go!

 

So what was the situation yesterday, 30 November 2021 ?

It’s still not entirely done and dusted. There are conditions for a rapid descent to Brazil, but it’s what comes next… There may be a small low-pressure system forming and, with luck on our side, we can hook onto it, but after that…? It’s worth noting that the weather models must be in agreement, and, in any case, the whole team has to be prepared to snap up an opportunity. The American forecasts were more optimistic than those of the Europeans, then the configuration deteriorated further for both models.

 

But weather simulations have evolved in leaps and bounds over recent years…

Absolutely! We no longer route the boats in the same way either. During the initial attempts from 1990-2000, the objective was the passage of the equator, as it wasn’t possible to predict the weather beyond five days. Now, the boats are even faster and reliable data runs for up to ten days and more! We now have to target the Cape of Good Hope in a maximum of twelve days: it’s a whole different ball game. We can clearly see what’s going to happen in the South Atlantic eight days in advance.

 

 

Is there a relationship between the position of the Azores High (northern hemisphere) and that of the Saint Helena High (southern hemisphere)?

I get what you’re saying: a favourable weather situation in the northern hemisphere and hence an unfavourable one in the southern hemisphere! No. There is no correlation between these two parts of the Earth, at least not in terms of the timeframe we’re working with. There may be if you were to average it out over a year, but I don’t have that information.

 

So regardless of whether the Azores High is high or low in latitude, it doesn’t have an influence on the situation in the South Atlantic?

I don’t believe it does: there is no correlation between the north and south; not in terms of the time frame we work with for routing the Jules Verne Trophy. No compensation would come into play over such a short time.

 

Sails of Change is back on standby in La Trinité-sur-Mer through until 15 January.

It may sound late, but when you look at the previous records, you notice that Groupama 3 set sail on 31 January! Equally IDEC Sport set off in the middle of the winter in the northern hemisphere… It’s only early December for us here, the team still has time.

 

 

But there’s a good conjunction with the full moon on 19 December and the summer solstice of the southern hemisphere on 21 December…

That’s true, but it’s not enough to cross the equator in under five days; you have to be able to connect onto something beyond that! The current Jules Verne Trophy record is so low (40 days 23 hours and 30 minutes) that you need to be at Good Hope with a lead of at least a day… Francis Joyon and his men crossed the Indian Ocean really very quickly: as a result, you need some room for manœuvre on exiting the Atlantic Ocean. On top of that, they took less than six days to sail from the equator back to Ushant! As such, you need to steal a march at the start of the record attempt…

 

Logically, there are around ten weather ‘windows’ each winter?

You can’t look at it like that: it’s totally dependent on the year and there are no statistics about that! There are winters with lots of opportunities and others where you have to stay on land. Furthermore, the opportunities are not the same from one year to the next, plus it depends what you want to do and where you want to go. Here for example, there was an opportunity to improve on the reference time between Ushant and the equator, but it didn’t extend to the round the world record… Sails of Change could probably beat its own WSSRC record to the equator (Spindrift 2 in 2019: 4 days 20 hours and 13 minutes) but Dona Bertarelli, Yann Guichard and their team are chasing the Jules Verne Trophy!

 

Is the situation looking favourable for the coming days?

There are no longer any openings for the next few days: we’re going to have to wait a bit… That doesn’t stop us routers from looking at what would have happened had Sails of Change set sail though: the weather window on 25 November would have gone very light after Cape Frio (offshore of Rio de Janeiro). The one on 30 November doesn’t look favourable either in the southern hemisphere, with very bad weather at the Cape of Good Hope, but we’ll look into the situation in more detail over the next few days. The idea of setting off and then coming back is only valid if the return journey is quick as there may be a favourable ‘window’ on returning to Ushant…

 

The team on the maxi-trimaran Sails of Change have switched back to code red meaning that there is no plan to depart within the next 72 hours.

 

Today, at 12:00 UTC, with all the crew aboard the boat and ready to set sail, Jean-Yves Bernot, the team’s onshore router, contacted Yann Guichard, the skipper of the vessel, and Benjamin Schwartz, the on-board navigator.

 

The day before, the forecasts seemed favourable according to the American weather model. This lunchtime, both the European and American weather models were in agreement that the situation in the South Atlantic was not very conducive to a rapid descent.

 

As such, together they made the decision to remain on code green and await this evening’s grib files before making a decision about a possible departure.

 

This evening, Yann Guichard, Benjamin Schwartz and Jean-Yves Bernot have received confirmation of a deterioration in conditions in the south.

 

With the weather window not enabling them to make the Cape of Good Hope in a quick enough time, they have chosen to put back the departure once more.

 

The maxi-trimaran Sails of Change will set sail early afternoon this Tuesday (at around 13:00 UTC) from her port of registry of La Trinité-sur-Mer, Brittany, and head straight for the Jules Verne Trophy start line. Dona Bertarelli, Yann Guichard and their crew have decided to set a direct course for a point offshore of Le Créac’h lighthouse (island of Ushant) to hook onto a front set to sweep across Brittany over the coming days. 

 

After several weeks’ wait, the maxi-trimaran Sails of Change should theoretically set sail tonight offshore of Le Créac’h lighthouse (island of Ushant) in a bid to improve on the round the world record under sail. This Jules Verne Trophy, held by Francis Joyon and his team since 2017 (40 days 23 hours and 30 minutes), is particularly difficult to beat as the Cape of Good Hope must be reached within a minimum of around a dozen days.

 

 

A favourable configuration 

However, in addition to the Azores High being located in a favourable position to target the equator in around five days (the WSSRC record is still held by Spindrift 2 in a time of 4 days 20 hours 07 minutes), it is essential that the situation also permits a very direct trajectory towards the tip of South Africa in the southern hemisphere. Indeed, once the line separating the two hemispheres is crossed, a low pressure system needs to form offshore of Brazil with a SE’ly trajectory to push back the Saint Helena High towards the island of the same name.

 

By hooking onto the back of this disturbed system, Sails of Change would then be in a position to drop down at a very quick average speed of 30 knots towards the Roaring Forties, whilst avoiding the drifting ice which, having come loose from the Antarctic ice field, can come up as far as Gough Island or even towards the Kerguelen archipelago.

 

After a lengthy analysis of the weather situation offshore of the Breton headland, Yann Guichard, skipper of Sails of Change, Benjamin Schwartz, on-board navigator, and Jean-Yves Bernot, onshore router, have finally agreed to dock out of La Trinité at 13:00 UTC today. The maxi-trimaran should take around ten hours or so to position itself on the start line of the Jules Verne Trophy. In line with the tide (High Water at Ushant at 12:35, coefficient 60) and above all the arrival of an active front on Tuesday evening, the attempt should kick-off between midnight and 05:00 UTC. Indeed, on the back of the heavy rain expected, a powerful NW’ly wind is forecast which would carry them down towards the Cape Verde archipelago in a little over three days…

 

Over a direct theoretical course of 21,600 miles, the Jules Verne Trophy is one of the toughest records to improve on. Throughout the crossing, in addition to the sporting challenge, the crew will be eager to champion the ‘30×30’ campaign, which is a global call to action from scientists which aims to protect at least 30% of the ocean and the earth by 2030.

 

Dona Bertarelli, Yann Guichard and all the team of the maxi-trimaran Sails of Change announced a switch to code yellow this morning within the scope of their Jules Verne Trophy record attempt.

 

Indeed, a potential weather window looks likely to open in the South Atlantic. If this window is confirmed, it would enable a good arrival time at the Cape of Good Hope.

 

In this case, the maxi-trimaran Sails of Change could cross the start line off the island of Ushant between Wednesday and Thursday.

 

Given the NW’ly winds and heavy seas forecast, the team is planning to deliver the boat to Brest on Tuesday morning and tie up to the dock outside the harbour town through until the start.

 

Confirmation of the delivery trip will be given this evening upon receipt and analysis of the latest weather files.

 

Upon further analysis of the weather files, the Spindrift team has decided to postpone its departure for a fourth attempt at the Jules Verne Trophy. Indeed, the weather conditions in the South Atlantic are shaping up to be less appealing than those analysed on Wednesday evening.

 

This Thursday morning, the whole crew was ready to leave the dock in La Trinité-Sur-Mer, Brittany, to head out to sea and set sail from the Créac’h lighthouse over the course of the day. The latest position of the Azores High remains favourable for a very quick ‘descent’ to the equator thanks to a powerful N to NE’ly breeze. The problem comes further down the racetrack as the low pressure systems rolling off Brazil are no longer shifting across towards the Kerguelen Islands, leaving room for a series of high pressure ‘bubbles’ across the course, which are synonymous with a lack of stable breeze…

 

 

Another attempt

The nine crew supporting Dona Bertarelli and Yann Guichard were all in attendance dockside in La Trinité-Sur-Mer, ready to get going, but they will have to be patient for several more days at least until the weather situation becomes favourable again in both the North and South Atlantic. It’s worth noting that the best WSSRC time (World Sailing Speed Record Council in charge of validating international records) between Ushant and the equator is still held by Spindrift 2 helmed by Yann Guichard and his team in 2019 (4d 20h 7’) while the record for the South Atlantic crossing is still in the hands of Francis Joyon and his crew on IDEC Sport in 2017 (7d 02h 23’)…

 

“That’s the nature of Jules Verne Trophy records and what makes them very hard to beat! This is especially true when the American and European weather files are in agreement that it would be necessary to go right around the outside of the Saint Helena High, avoid the ice close to South Georgia and finally reach the longitude of Good Hope in thirteen days… Sails of Change could still cross the equator in under four and a half days. However, despite the configuration in the South Atlantic still being favourable yesterday, that is no longer the case today. On top of that, the low pressure systems in the Southern Ocean are on a very low trajectory instead of tracking eastwards, which would indicate a rather laborious passage across the Indian Ocean,” explained Yann Guichard on Thursday morning, after consulting the latest grib fles with his onshore router (Jean-Yves Bernot) and his on-board navigator (Benjamin Schwartz).

 

In fact, it’s vital to be more than 90% sure you’ll reach the Cape of Good Hope in a sub-twelve-day time to stand a chance of winning the Jules Verne Trophy… That would not be the case if they were to set sail today as planned as there’s precious little chance of them being able to latch onto a last low pressure system rolling off Brazil after a week at sea! Naturally, the team remains on the alert to take on a round the world without using fossil energy (a first in the racing world!) and defend the colours of Sails of Change, which is flying the flag for the ‘30×30’ campaign (a global call to action to protect at least 30% of the ocean and the earth by 2030). See you soon for a fresh attempt over the coming days…

 

Dona Bertarelli, Yann Guichard and their nine crew will begin a fresh Jules Verne Trophy record attempt this Thursday. Early in the morning, the maxi-trimaran Sails of Change will cast off from her port of registry in La Trinité-Sur-Mer (Morbihan) to make for the start line offshore of Ushant. Their goal: to complete the non-stop, unassisted round the world course, leaving to port the three capes (Good Hope, Leeuwin, Horn), faster than the record time set by Francis Joyon and his men in 2017 of 40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes and 30 seconds. It’s also an opportunity for the crew of the maxi-trimaran Sails of Change to support the #30×30 campaign, which aims to protect 30% of the planet by 2030 and raise awareness about this cause.

 

A 4TH RECORD ATTEMPT 
Early on Thursday morning, the maxi-trimaran Sails of Change will leave her port of registry of La Trinité-Sur-Mer (Morbihan). On board, the 11 sailors on the largest offshore racing trimaran in the world will set a course for the island of Ushant offshore of Finistère. Later in the day, they’ll cross the Jules Verne Trophy start line located between Créac’h lighthouse and the Lizard Point lighthouse, with the objectives of breaking the round the world record under sail, which stands at 40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes and 30 seconds, as well as flying the flag for Sails of Change and the ‘30×30’ campaign, which aims to protect 30% of the planet by 2030.

 

For this fourth record attempt, the crew led by skipper Yann Guichard has pulled out all the stops in a bid to optimise the trimaran. The boat’s hull has notably been shortened by three metres to enhance the balance at the helm and limit vibration. On top of this, the cockpit has also been redesigned throughout to make it more comfortable for the sailors and less exposed to the sea spray. The maxi-trimaran’s sail plan has also been redesigned, the aerodynamics improved and the boat has undergone a weight-reduction programme.

 

At sea, Dona Bertarelli and Yann Guichard will be surrounded by a crew which boasts a combination of seasoned offshore racing sailors and high-energy youngsters.

 

On previous occasions, the team has posted the 3rd best time in the Jules Verne Trophy (in 2015 – 2016 in 47 days 10 hours and 59 minutes), earning Dona Bertarelli the title of fastest women around the world in 2015, together with the record for the Ushant – Equator section (in 2019 in 4 days 20 hours and 7 minutes). The whole team will be setting sail with these reference times uppermost in their thoughts, eager to take on one of the greatest challenges in offshore racing.

 

 

A FAVOURABLE WEATHER WINDOW

 

 

 
Dona Bertarelli and Yann Guichard are once more set to take on the Jules Verne Trophy, held since 2017 by Francis Joyon and his crew in a time of 40d 23h 30’ 30’’. Remodelled for improved performance over the course of last winter, Sails of Change (ex-Spindrift 2) maxi-trimaran will be sailed by an 11-strong crew.

 

This will be Yann Guichard’s fourth attempt as skipper on this round the world passage under sail, and he is taking on two challenges as he aims to both secure the Jules Verne Trophy and produce all their energy requirements self-sufficiently. Indeed, for the very first time, the whole journey will be undertaken with no auxiliary engine.
 

“We’re going to take on an additional challenge, since we’ll be attempting to break the round the world record without using any energy produced using fossil fuels. Our main sources of energy will come from the sun and wind, as well as an on-board bike-powered generator. We are keen to show it’s possible” – Yann Guichard.

 
This new energy challenge accompanies a series of technical solutions introduced over the winter, which relate to the cockpit, aerodynamics and central hull, the latter having been shortened by three metres. This latest modification provides improved balance at the helm and reduces vibration aboard the largest racing multihull ever built (37 metres), which has been renamed specially for this attempt: Sails of Change.

 

 

About Sails of Change
 
Sails of Change is a community of sport and nature lovers, who want to create a sustainable future for our planet. Founders Yann Guichard, Dona Bertarelli and her children are committed to sharing ideas and information, as well as creating partnerships to protect and restore the environment, and working for a sustainable future for all.
 
The first campaign supported by Sails of Change, ‘30×30’, is a global call to action to protect at least 30% of the ocean and land by 2030. The maxi-trimaran will carry this message around the world, with #30×30 logos emblazoned on her sails and hulls, together with distinctive blue and green colour-coding for the new livery on the racing stable’s flagship.
 
“Through the medium of a sport that we love, I invite everyone to embark with us on this human adventure, discover the beauty of nature and join us in our circumnavigation of the globe,” says Dona Bertarelli, on-board reporter for this latest attempt.

 

 

About Spindrift for Schools

The Sails of Change maxi will also fly the flag of the Spindrift for Schools educational programme, whose educational kit “Inspired by Nature: committed to action!” has just been published in partnership with the Departmental Service of National Education of the Morbihan region, the French Réseau Canopé in Lorient, Brittany, and with the support of UNESCO.
 
“Our aim is to inspire, raise awareness and prepare young people as they become the adults of tomorrow. We hope that through our passion and our commitment to nature, we can share knowledge and values to support children as they learn to work together and commit to their future,” explains Dona Bertarelli.

 

 

On standby from 1 November
 
The maxi-trimaran Sails of Change will set out from La Trinité-sur-Mer in south-west Brittany to make for the start line off Ushant as soon as there is a favourable weather window, with a standby commencing 1 November 2021.
 
Ten sailors with complementary backgrounds, five of whom have already circumnavigated the globe, will set sail alongside skipper Yann Guichard on this fourth crewed attempt. Two of them, Thierry Chabagny and Xavier Revil, won the Jules Verne Trophy in 2012, whilst Dona Bertarelli has held the title of fastest woman to sail around the world since 2016. In all, nine of the eleven sailors have previously been involved in a Jules Verne Trophy attempt. Only Julien Villion and Yann Jauvin will be making their Trophy debut in this legendary international offshore racing event.

At the end of last week, just a matter of hours was all it took for the Gitana Team to go from the satisfaction of a record time for its descent of the Atlantic aboard its flying maxi-trimaran to the great disappointment of discovering damage on its rudder, which definitively put an end to its Jules Verne Trophy record attempt. Since then, the crew of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild has turned back and has spared no effort in what have been tricky weather conditions to reach more hospitable latitudes to the north. Up against a number of logistical constraints, directly linked to the health restrictions in force as a result of the global pandemic, the six sailors, in agreement with Cyril Dardashti and their router, Marcel van Triest, have decided to return to their home port via the sea and under their own steam, which means without stopping off to effect repairs in Cape Town, South Africa, as was initially envisaged.

 

 

Breakage is not compatible with safety or performance

“Our decision to abandon our attempt is a result of breaking the rudder stock on the starboard float”, Pierre Tissier reminds us. “It’s still too early to explain the exact reasons for this damage, even though we have had a lot of discussions with the crew and are able to substantiate certain hypotheses. However, access to the area in question is very difficult as the rudder system is too exposed on the boat’s aft section, meaning that lengthy investigations are not possible as yet. This is why envisaging carrying a spare part to make a replacement at sea is totally out of the question”, added the technical director of the five-arrow racing stable.

 

In fact, the question about a spare part has been raised on several occasions following the announcement of the team’s abandon. As such, it’s important to respond to this issue: “It’s worth noting that a rudder weighs around 200 kg and assembling or dismantling such a part requires a special procedure, up to three people and a support rib, and that is when the boat’s in a port and without heavy seas… Offshore, the crew does not have the necessary tooling and, above all, it is not able to access the area in question, which is a long way aft and is protected by the rudder ‘chimneys’”, explained Sébastien Sainson, the director of Gitana’s design office.

 

This damage forced Franck Cammas, Charles Caudrelier and their four crew to reluctantly interrupt a record attempt that was in full flight and looked very promising in terms of the upcoming weather… However, plunging down into the Southern Ocean, far from habitation and out of reach of any rapid emergency assistance leaves no room for approximation. At a latitude of 50° south, bordering on a zone prone to ice, the crew has to be able to be autonomous and in control of its trajectory under all circumstances.

 

 

“The Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is equipped with lifting float rudders, which is fortunate because since the damage occurred, the crew has been able to sail almost normally with the rudder raised. In practical terms, had this damage occurred further down the track in our round the world, we may have looked at things differently, however in our case, it’s the safety aspect that prevailed. We’d only just entered the Southern Ocean. We were unable to use one of our float rudders, which meant that the only way to steer the boat was by using the other float rudder and the central rudder” explained Pierre Tissier, with Sébastien Sainson providing more light on the subject: “Thanks to the experience we’ve gained and the numerous miles the Maxi has now covered, we’ve noticed that the central rudder is more exposed to impact than before, which must be down to the addition of the elevators. As a result, there’s an added risk of ending up with two damaged rudders and a boat that is impossible to steer in some of the remotest areas of the globe. It simply wasn’t reasonable and therefore it was unthinkable to proceed.”

 

Last but not least, there was the issue of performance. Taking on a speed record involves knowing what goal you want to achieve before you set sail. Given the exceptional time of 40 days 23 hours and 30 minutes recorded by Francis Joyon and his men, the moment we crossed the start line on 10 January offshore of Ushant, the sailors on the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild knew that there was no room for error. “If you were to put the safety issue in the Southern Ocean to one side, which obviously is not feasible in the real world, this breakage is a genuine handicap when the boat is sailing on port tack. We reckon that you lose around 20% of the boat’s potential. In the south, where the point of sail is predominantly off the wind, this would inevitably have had a major impact, but during a beat, which involves sailing close-hauled, or on a reach, we envisage that the speeds would have been even worse, except on starboard tack of course (namely pressed down on its port float and appendages) where the boat is intact. It’s tough, but that’s the nature of record attempts and the Jules Verne Trophy”, concluded Cyril Dardashti.

 

Hats off to Boris Herrmann

Just hours away now from the much-awaited denouement of the Vendée Globe, the present scenario is completely unprecedented with eight sailors grouped together within 500 miles. Added to that, a series of time bonuses are yet to be awarded, which should reshuffle the cards for the final podium, and for once this will likely differ from the line honours. At this historic moment, Gitana Team’s thoughts go out to Boris Herrmann. The German sailor, who is attacking his last night at sea in the top trio is the surprise of this 2020-2021 edition. He has sailed a masterful race aboard the Imoca Malizia Sea Explorer and has been proudly flying the flag of the Yacht Club de Monaco during this action-packed round the world. The 60-footer is none other than the former Mono60 Edmond de Rothschild, which the racing stable competed on in the race’s 2016 edition and it is a great source of pleasure to see one of the team’s former steeds performing so well. The final ranking will be revealed tomorrow offshore of Les Sables d’Olonne.

Sailing in the Indian Ocean since yesterday afternoon and their passage of the longitude of Cape Agulhas, the men of Gitana Team were positioned at 48°28 south at 11:00 UTC with a lead of over 860 miles over the record when they informed their shore team of damage to the giant’s float rudder to starboard. After a thorough inspection carried out by David Boileau, the boat captain, the verdict is in. The appendage’s stock is seriously damaged, which means the rudder can no longer be used on this tack. With the six sailors unable to effect repairs in the open ocean as the part would need to be entirely replaced, the crew of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild has been forced to interrupt its Jules Verne Trophy record attempt. Indeed, it is inconceivable for Franck Cammas, Charles Caudrelier and their four crew to take on the Southern Ocean with a boat that is no longer performing at her full potential. It’s a massive disappointment, as much in the roaring forties as in Lorient, at the heart of the technical base, but the most important thing right now is that the crew is able to head into more hospitable latitudes.

 

 

Contacted by Cyril Dardashti, the director of the Gitana racing stable, Charles Caudrelier shared his first impressions: