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2 May 2007, 09:21 am

Groupama III Smashes FOSSETT's Discovery Record

WSSRC Record Attempt

San Salvador, Bahamas

Franck CAMMAS (FRA) and his ten crew on Groupama III have smashed Steve FOSSETT's (USA) Discovery Route record, taking over two days off the 3,884 nm passage time from Cadiz, Spain to San Salvador, Bahamas. Groupama III completed the course in 7 days, 10 hours, 58 minutes and 53 seconds, subject to ratification by the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC).

CAMMAS's new 105 foot maxi-trimaran completed the course at an average speed of 21.79 knots, a massive increase on the previous record holder FOSSETT's PlayStation, whose 9 day, 13 hour, 30 minute and 18 second passage was at an averaged speed of 16.92 knots.

CAMMAS and his crew crossed the start line in Cadiz on 24 April at 07:47:17 local time and finished the Discovery Route, named after the historical track taken by Christopher COLUMBUS, in San Salvador yesterday at 18:46:10 UTC.

Also onboard with CAMMAS were Franck PROFFIT (FRA), Steve RAVUSSIN (SUI), Pascal BLOUIN (FRA), Loic LE MIGNON (FRA), Bruno JEANJEAN (FRA), Sebastien AUDIGANE (FRA), Frederic LE PEUTREC (FRA), Ronan LE GOFF (FRA) and Marcel VAN TRIEST (NED).

Next up on the programme for CAMMAS and Groupama III is another of FOSSETT's records, the 2 day, 5 hour, 54 minute and 42 second sprint from Miami to New York.

The Record To Beat

Record: Cadiz - San Salvador
Yacht: PlayStation
Skipper: Steve FOSSETT (USA)
Dates: February 2003
Elapsed time: 9 days, 13 hours, 30 minutes and 18 seconds
Distance: 3,884 nm
Average speed: 16.92 knots