Success for French team – and a Brit

A NEW world record for a non-stop circumnavigation of the world by sailing boat has been set by a crew led by Frenchman Loïck Peyron.

The 14-man crew, all French apart from Briton Brian Thompson, took 45 days and 42 minutes, easily beating the previous record of 48 days, seven hours, set by Franck Cammas in 2010.

The feat wins the crew the Jules Verne Trophy, created in 1992, inspired by the book Around the World in 80 Days.

They were welcomed into Brest by around 5,000 who turned out despite rain, and by pleasure boats that escorted the Banque Populaire V into harbour. The 40m trimaran is capable of speeds of more than 110kph.

Thompson, 49, a father-of-two, told the BBC it had been “an incredible trip, almost a dream ride”. He praised the team, who he said were “talented, industrious, dedicated, fun and welcoming to an English guy with schoolboy French.”

The feat also makes him the first Briton to sail around the world non-stop four times.

B Stichelbaut_BPCE