The first around the world sailing record was, logically, set by the first person who circumnavigated the world: Juan Sebastián Elcano and the remaining members of Ferdinand Magellan's crew who completed their journey in 1522. The first solo record was set by Joshua Slocum in the Spray (1898).
Most races or solo attempts start from Europe. Due to the configuration of the continents, sailing around the world consists in sailing around the Antarctica continent, passing south of Cape Horn, Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin. Since 1918 the Panama Canal is an option but the locks must be entered and exited using engine power. Large stretches of the canal can be crossed under sail power.
Sailing around the world can be done by two directions: eastward or westward. The dominant winds and currents make the voyage eastwards on the Southern hemisphere faster, most skippers and yachts prefer this route. Today, the multihulls perform much better than monohulls and hold the best times.
The most famous races around the world are:
The Jules Verne Trophy is awarded to the skipper who breaks the outright record, starting from an imaginary line between the Créac'h lighthouse on Ouessant (Ushant) Island, France, and the Lizard Lighthouse, UK.
The records[1] are homologated by the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC).
According to the WSSRC, for around the world sailing records, there is a rule saying that the length must be at least 21,600 nm calculated along the shortest possible track from the starting port and back that does not cross land and does not go below 63°S. The great-circle distance formulas are to be used, assuming that the great circle length is 21,600 nm. It is allowed to have one single waypoint to lengthen the calculated track. The equator must be crossed.[2] In reality, this means that the boat should pass a waypoint at or not far from the antipode of the starting port of the journey (the exact position depends on how short the shortest possible track is). For example, the Vendée Globe starts at 46°N 2°W, has a waypoint at 57°S 180°E, and barely makes the distance requirement. The participants don't have to go to the antipode at 46°S 178°E since the rounding of Africa gives extra distance.
Year | Time | Skipper | Yacht | Type | Crew | Context |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2010 March | 48d 07h 44m 52s[3] | Franck Cammas | Groupama 3 | Trimaran | 10 crewmen[4] | attempt for the Jules Verne Trophy |
2005 March | 50d 16h 20m 04s[3] | Bruno Peyron | Orange II | Catamaran | 14 crewmen[5] | attempt for the Jules Verne Trophy |
2004 April | 58d 09h 32m 45s[3] | Steve Fossett | Cheyenne | Catamaran | 13 crewmen[6] | |
2002 May | 64d 08h 37m 24s [3] | Bruno Peyron | Orange | Catamaran | 13 crewmen [7] | attempt for the Jules Verne Trophy |
1997 March | 71d 14h 18m 08s [3] | Olivier de Kersauson | Sport-Elec | Trimaran | 07 crewmen [8] | attempt for the Jules Verne Trophy |
1994 January | 74d 22h 17m 22s[3] | Peter Blake/Knox-Johnston | Enza | Catamaran | 06 crewmen [9] | attempt for the Jules Verne Trophy |
1993 January | 79d 06h 15m 56s[3] | Bruno Peyron | Commodore Explorer | Catamaran | 05 crewmen [10] | attempt for the Jules Verne Trophy |
Year | Time | Skipper | Yacht | Type | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2008 | 57d 13h 34m 06s | Francis Joyon | Trimaran IDEC | Trimaran 95 ft | Arrived on 19 January 2008, non-stop. Also the third fastest outright record. |
2005 | 71d 14h 18m 33s | Ellen MacArthur | B&Q/Castorama | Trimaran 75 ft | Arrived on 8 of February, non-stop. |
2004 | 72d 22h 54m 22s | Francis Joyon | Idec | Trimaran | Non-stop |
1989 | 125d | Olivier de Kersauson | Un autre regard | Trimaran | Two stops |
1988 | 129d 19h 17m | Philippe Monnet | Kriter brut de brut | Trimaran | Two stops |
1973 | 169d | Alain Colas | Manureva | Trimaran | One stop |
Year | Time | Skipper | Yacht | Type | Context |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009 (January) | 84d 3h 09m[3] | Michel Desjoyeaux | Foncia | Monohull | During Vendée Globe 2008-2009, non-stop and no assistance |
2004 (Feb) | 87d 10h 45m 55s [3] | Vincent Riou | PRB | Monohull | During Vendée Globe 2003-2004, non-stop and no assistance |
1996 | 105d 20h 31m 23s [3] | Christophe Auguin | Geodis | Monohull | During Vendée Globe 1995-1996, non-stop and no assistance |
1967 | 226d | Sir Francis Chichester | Gipsy Moth IV | Monohull | Solo attempt. One Stop in Sydney. Second person to achieve a true circumnavigation of the world solo, after Joshua Slocum. |
This route is the more demanding one, as it faces the dominant winds and currents. There are fewer attempts and records.
As of February 2010, no record has been homologated.
Year | Time | Skipper | Yacht | Type | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2004 | 122d 14h 03m 49s | Jean Luc Van Den Heede | Adrien | Monohull | Solo attempt non-stop. Arrived 19 March. |
2000 | 151d 19h 54m | Philippe Monnet | Uunet | Monohull | Solo attempt non-stop. Arrived 9 June. |
1994 | 161d | Mike Golding | Monohull | Fastest westward journey | |
1986 | 150d 1h 6m | Dodge Morgan | American Promise | Monohull | Started 12 November 1985, arrived 11 April 1986[11] |
1970 | 292d | Chay Blyth | British Steel | Monohull | Started 18 October 1970, arrived 6 August 1971 |
In May 2006, Dee Caffari has become the first woman to sail around the world alone non-stop and single-handed westward on the Monohull Aviva, in 178 days.[12]
The rules for intermediate records [13] are set by the WSSRC. Four official records are listed.[14]:
From the Atlantic Ocean: Equator => Cape Agulhas (South Africa) => Around Antarctica => Cape Horn => Equator
Date | Time | Skipper | Yacht | Type | Crew |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
30 december 2011 | 32d 11h 51m[15] | Loïck Peyron | Banque Populaire V | Multihull | Crewed |
6 March 2005 | 33d 16h 06m[14] | Bruno Peyron | Orange II | Multihull | Crewed |
10 January 2008 | 41d 08h 19m[16] | Francis Joyon | Trimaran IDEC | Multihull | Single-handed |
19 January 2005 | 61d 22h 46m[14] | Vincent Riou | PRB | Monohull | Single-handed |
from Cape Agulhas, South Africa (longitude 20°E) to Tasmania south point, (longitude : 146°49'E)
Date | Time | Skipper | Yacht | Type | Crew |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
12 December 2011 | 08d 7h 22m[17] | Loïck Peyron | Banque Populaire V | Multihull | Crewed |
25 February 2010 | 08d 17h 39m[18] | Franck Cammas | Groupama 3 | Multihull | Crewed |
17 February 2005 | 09d 11h 04m[14] | Bruno Peyron | Orange II | Multihull | Crewed |
18 December 2007 | 09d 12h 03m[16] | Francis Joyon | Trimaran IDEC | Multihull | Single-handed |
18 December 2004 | 14d 21h 01m[14] | Mike Golding | Ecover | Monohull | Single-handed |
Tasmania south point, (longitude : 146°49'E) to Cape Horn (longitude 67°16'W)
Date | Time | Skipper | Yacht | Type | Crew |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
25 February 2005 | 08d 18h 08m[14] | Bruno Peyron | Orange II | Multihull | Crewed |
29 December 2007 | 10d 14h 30m[16] | Francis Joyon | Trimaran IDEC | Multihull | Single-handed |
4 January 2005 | 16d 05h 26m[14] | Mike Golding | Ecover | Monohull | Single-handed |
From Cape Horn (longitude 67°16'W) to Cape Agulhas, South Africa (longitude 20°E)
Date | Time | Skipper | Yacht | Type | Crew |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
17 March 2005 | 11d 10h 22m 13s [14] | Tony Bullimore | Doha | Multihull | Crewed |
Date | Time | Skipper | Yacht | Type | Crew |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
27 November 2011 | 5d 14h 55m[19] | Loïck Peyron | Banque Populaire V | Multihull | Crewed |
11 November 2009 | 5d 15h 23m[20] | Franck Cammas | Groupama 3 | Multihull | Crewed |
6 February 2010 | 5d 19h 07m[21] | Franck Cammas | Groupama 3 | Multihull | Crewed |
30 January 2008 | 6d 6h 24m[22] | Franck Cammas | Groupama 3 | Multihull | Crewed |
2003 | 6d 11h 26m | Olivier de Kersauson | Geronimo | Multihull | Crewed |
30 November 2007 | 6d 16h 58m[23] | Francis Joyon | Trimaran IDEC | Multihull | Single-handed |
31 January 2005 | 7d 02h 56m | Bruno Peyron | Orange II | Multihull | Crewed |
Date | Time | Skipper | Yacht | Type | Crew |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 December 2011 | 6d 06h 53m[24] | Loïck Peyron | Banque Populaire V | Multihull | Crewed. Also beats the record Ushant - Cape of Good Hope in 11d 21h and 48m |
6 February 2008 | 7d 02h 23m[25] | Franck Cammas | Groupama 3 | Multihull | Crewed |
7 February 2005 | 7d 05h 23m[26] | Bruno Peyron | Orange II | Multihull | Crewed |
15 February 2010 | 8d 20h 40m[27] | Franck Cammas | Groupama 3 | Multihull | Crewed |
From the cape Horn, cutting the longitude 67°16'W, up to the Equator
Date | Time | Skipper | Yacht | Type | Crew |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
30 december 2011 | 07d 5h and 0m [28] | Loïck Peyron | Banque Populaire V | Multihull | Crewed |
26 february 2005 | 08d 5h and 36m [28] | Bruno Peyron | Orange II | Multihull | Crewed |
2004 | 10d 10h and 47m [28] | Steve Fossett | Cheyenne | Multihull | Crewed |
2002 | 11d 1h and 57m [28] | Bruno Peyron | Orange | Multihull | Crewed |
2004 | 12d 10h and 25m [28] | Olivier de Kersauson | Geronimo | Multihull | Crewed |
Date | Time | Skipper | Yacht | Type | Crew |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2010 | 06d 10h and 44m [28] | Franck Cammas | Groupama 3 | Multihull | Crewed |
2004 | 08d 6h and 42m [28] | Steve Fossett | Cheyenne | Multihull | Crewed |
2004 | 09d 11h and 7m [28] | Olivier de Kersauson | Geronimo | Multihull | Crewed |
2005 | 09d 11h and 15m [28] | Bruno Peyron | Orange II | Multihull | Crewed |
2002 | 11d 3h and 48m [28] | Bruno Peyron | Orange | Multihull | Crewed |
Competitions and prizes:
Other speed sailing records: