Paris (AFP)
At 63, the navigator Francis Joyon (Idec Sport) improved by 6 days on Friday a new record alone, that says 'La Mauricienne', from Brittany to Mauritius, signed in 19 days and 18 hours.
Left on 19 October from Port Louis (Morbihan), he reached Port Louis (Mauritius) in a hot weather, 6 days and 10 hours less than the previous record, which he himself had established 10 days ago. years (26 to 4 hours).
"It's been a big improvement, either I was really not fast last time, or I was very fast this time!" Said Joyon when he arrived, pointing out that his boat was "more powerful than the previous".
The record holder of the world tour crewed in 40 days (Trophy Jules Verne) has advanced "a good weather sequence" to explain his performance, "and perhaps the fact that the skipper has rejuvenated a few years meanwhile!" .
Winner of the Route du Rhum a year ago, Joyon decided this year to embark on a record campaign on Asian waters. The Mauritian is the first step in its program.
He must be joined on Mauritius by four teammates (Bertrand Delesne, Corentin Joyon, Anthony Blouet, Christophe Houdet) with whom he wants to establish reference times - not approved - in Vietnam and China.
After the end of the year holidays, they will be on stand-by in Hong Kong for a crewed record, that of the Tea Route, which is almost 13,000 miles (24,000 km) to go to London in less than 36 days 2 hours (record held since 2018 by the Italian Giovanni Soldini and 4 crew members on Maserati).
© 2019 AFP