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Time chasing
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| Jules Verne Trophy |
| After a 10 month refit, Groupama 3 is sporting her new livery following the damage she suffered on 18th February 2008, during
her first attempt at the Jules Verne Trophy.
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Since her launch at the start of the year 2009, Groupama 3 has been victorious in her Trans-Mediterranean record bid prior
to heading for New York for a Transatlantic record attempt and the chance to be the first to pass the 800 mile barrier with
exactly 857 miles covered in 24 hours!
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Franck Cammas, skipper of Groupama 3What conclusions do you draw from the 2009 season since Groupama 3's relaunch?
"This season has been highly
beneficial. Indeed we've sailed a great deal thanks to the Route of the Subsidiaries. With these Mediterranean stages, which
were different to those we'd previously encountered, we got to know her better on various points of sail: as such it was a
good chance to prepare the crew for the circumnavigation of the globe. Added to that we beat the Mediterranean record, with
some muscly conditions as we set out from Marseilles. As regards the Atlantic, we nevertheless took nine hours off our previous
record by exploiting the fantastic potential of Groupama 3 in the best possible way. Now we are better equipped to set off
on the Jules Verne Trophy."
Is the way the boat handles very different to the initial version back in 2006?
"In
terms of performance we rediscovered the Groupama 3 as she was prior to the capsize. It's never easy to make a trimaran the
same weight and with the same qualities as she had before... There is less inopportune movement with regards the floats, which
are now more rigid up forward. However, I found the same sensations again: it's a boat which is complete, versatile, sound,
not necessarily the quickest as we were able to see this summer against Banque Populaire V, but she is never slow!"
There
is now a major adversary for the Jules Verne Trophy: will Banque Populaire V be faster on the round the world course?
"There
will be less difference in terms of potential on a circumnavigation of the globe. Across the Atlantic, the weather conditions
favoured power. On the Jules Verne Trophy, pure speed is less important above 35 knots, however we're going to have to sail
well and work on the strategy to optimise the trajectories."
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Records held by Groupama 3Discovery Route: Cadiz to San Salvador (3,884 miles)
From 24th April to 1st May 2007
7 days 10 hours 58 minutes
53 seconds
Average: 21.7 knots
Previous record: Steve Fossett (PlayStation) in February 2003 - 9 days 13 hours
30 minutes 18 seconds
The American: Miami to New York (947 miles)
From 3rd to 4th June 2007
1 day
11 hours 5 minutes 20 seconds
Average: 27 knots
Previous record: Steve Fossett (PlayStation) in May 2001 -
2 days 5 hours 54 minutes 42 seconds
Trans-Mediterranean: Marseilles to Carthage (458 miles)
From 15th
to 16th Mai 2009
17 hours 8 minutes 23 seconds
Average: 26,4 knots
Previous record: Bruno Peyron (Orange II)
in September 2004 - 17 hours 56 minutes 13 seconds
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