08:50:17 Groupama 3 Take Off

Nu är Franck Cammas och hans gäng på Groupama 3 i väg för att slå rekordet runt jorden med full besättning. Vädret ser mycket bra ut ner till ekvatorn. Blir spännande. Joyon har ju satt ribban högt.

• Franck Cammas, skipper / watch leader – helm
• Franck Proffit, watch leader – helm / operational manager / sail manager
• Stève Ravussin, watch leader – helm / Video – photo manager
• Loic Le Mignon, second helm / superstructure manager
• Frédéric Le Peutrec, second helm / head of onboard food
• Sébastien Audigane, second helm / medical manager
• Jan Dekker, no.1 / medical Officer and rig manager
• Ronan Le Goff, no.1 / rig and superstructure
• Jacques Caraës, no.1 / video – photo manager
• Yves Parlier, router / head of electronics, energy and water
• Onshore: Sylvain Mondon and Richard Silvani Routers (Meteo France)

Groupama 3 set off this Thursday 24th January at 07h 50′ 17” (GMT) from the start line of the Jules Verne Trophy attempt, a line defined by the alignment of Lizard Point (UK) and the Créac’h lighthouse (Ushant).

Franck Cammas and his nine crew must cross this same line after rounding the three capes before 15 March at 00 hours 09 minutes 21 seconds (GMT) in order to take the round the world record.

They’re off: the maxi trimaran crossed the start line just off the Créac’h lighthouse in a fine NW’ly breeze of around fifteen knots with one reef in the main and staysail. Groupama 3 is already powering along at over 25 knots bound for Cape Finisterre, which it is likely to reach by the end of today. The weather forecast is indicative of a fine descent for this first day at sea since the breeze should rapidly clock round to the North as it fills to twenty knots, where it will then reach over thirty knots as it shifts round to the East. The first 24 hours should therefore enable Franck Cammas and his nine crew to get as far as Lisbon by tomorrow morning, Friday.