Orange poised for Jules Verne race

Orange could set sail from France on Wednesday

LONDON, England – A crew of 14 on a giant catamaran are about to begin a round-the-world race for the Jules Verne Trophy.

French multihull skipper Bruno Peyron and his crew left Brest, southwest France on Wednesday in a 33.5m (110ft) catamaran to await a suitable weather pattern off Ushant.

Peyron's weather expert has identified a suitable weather system to get Orange down past the equator in the fastest time with favourable winds. If the expected conditions do not materialise then the attempt could be postponed until the weekend.

Peyron was the first holder of the Jules Verne Trophy, the non-stop race, in 1993 sailing the 26m (85ft) catamaran Commodore Explorer in a total time of 76 days, 6 hours and 13 minutes beginning and ending in Ushant.

In 1997 Olivier de Kersauson, the current Jules Verne Trophy holder, set a new record in 1997 of 71 days, 14 hours and 22 minutes with the 24m (75ft) trimaran Sport Elec.

De Kersauson will sail his new 34m (110ft) maxi trimaran Geronimo in this years race.

Peyron is excited about competing in different boats.

This will be the first true confrontation between two hulls and three hulls of this new generation of maxi multihulls, he said.

We will have a match between the largest racing trimaran and catamaran in the world.

Kersauson is in Brest with Geronimo, but a set back when the carbon mast broke in early December means that a new mast will not be ready until Monday and he will not be ready to start until Wednesday at the earliest.

It was hoped that the two giant multihulls would start together, but Peyron's weather expert identified a weather window on Wednesday.

Both boats are capable of taking several days off the current 71-day Jules Verne record and De Kersauson believes that less then 60 days should be possible.