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Geronimo aborts record attempt

Geronimo currently leads the 1997 record

LONDON, England -- The world's largest trimaran, Geronimo, has been withdrawn from the round-the-world Jules Verne Trophy due to mechanical problems.

While off the North coast of Brazil at 10° south, the 34 metre (110 ft) boat was forced to turn back towards Brest because of a steering problem that rendered it unmanoeuvrable at high speeds.

One of France's most flamboyant sailors, the 57-year-old skipper Olivier de Kersauson had been trying to break his own non-stop round-the-world 1997 record -- 71 days, 14 hours and 22 minutes.

Kersauson was in full agreement with sponsors Cap Gemini Ernst & Young and Schneider Electric to abort the attempt for the safety of the crew.

MORE STORIES The making of Geronimo  Enough talking - Kersauson's back in the boat  Orange bids for round-the-world record  Geronimo sets sights on record books

Kersauson set out on February 18 from Ushant, off the coast of Brittany in France and in the first 24 hours, he and his crew had covered 511 miles at an average speed of 21.29 knots, putting them well ahead of schedule.

Geronimo crossed the Equator into the South Atlantic after 9 days and 7 hours at sea and was making headway in its attempt, despite struggling with light winds in the Doldrums, off the African coast.

French multihull skipper Bruno Peyron is making final preparations for an attempt on the trophy in the 33.5 metre (110 ft) giant catamaran Orange. He was forced to delay his initial start because of a mast breakage just 28 minutes into the bid.

Peyron was the first holder of the Jules Verne Trophy in 1993, sailing the 26 metre (85 ft) catamaran Commodore Explorer in a total time of 76 days, 6 hours and 13 minutes, beginning and ending in Ushant on the west coast of France.

The Jules Verne race is an open challenge involving a non-stop dash round the world from the English Channel, round the Cape of Good Hope, through the seas around Antarctica, past Cape Horn and back to the English Channel.