Endurance Articles
The team aboard the Sodebo Ultim 3 has been relentlessly pursuing the coveted Jules Verne Trophy for a month now. With stalwarts like Thomas Coville, Benjamin Schwartz, Frédéric Denis, Pierre Leboucher, Léonard Legrand, Guillaume Pirouelle, and Nicolas Troussel on board, the team embarked on this audacious journey on December 15th. Their journey so far has been marked by record-breaking times and awe-inspiring moments.
Surpassing challenges in the form of the three daunting capes - Good Hope, Leeuwin, and Horn - they have made remarkable progress, consistently maintaining an impressive average speed of 30 knots (56 km/h). However, they remain steadfast and focussed on their ultimate goal - breaking the round-the-world record held by IDEC Sport since 2017.
The Staunton Harold Sailing Club played host to the thrilling Miracle Midlands Championship over the Whit Bank Holiday weekend. David Turtle and Zara Frankton emerged as the formidable team to beat, leading the charge in a challenging environment. The blustery conditions cancelled the plans of at least three teams, leaving the waters open for five resilient boats, four visitors and one home team, to contest the championship.
Race 1 established the tone of the event. Graham Watts and Helen Jacks of the home team raised the anticipation by leading the fleet around the windward mark. However, Turtle and Frankton soon made their mark, overtaking the fleet with their formidable downwind prowess, leaving Watts and Jacks to fight pressure from the other competitors. Turtle and Frankton held on to clinch the first victory of the championship.