IDEC Sport – The Fastest Jules Verne Trophy Holder
As of today, IDEC Sport, skippered by Francis Joyon, is the fastest yacht to have circumnavigated the globe under sail, the holder of the Jules Verne Trophy.
While more recent high-speed Ultim trimarans (like Gitana Team’s Maxi Edmond de Rothschild or SVR–Lazartigue) have threatened the record, none have officially beaten Joyon’s time of 40 days 23 hours 30 minutes 30 seconds, set on 26 January 2017.
IDEC Sport: The Record-Setting Trimaran
The team decided to design a medium power trimaran. Groupama 3 (now Idec Sport) is light, but long enough to be safe in the Southern Ocean. The power comes from her width, and speed is high in calmer and heavy conditions thanks to her light weight from her optimised structure, rationalised the equipment and attention to detail during the build.
- Origins: IDEC Sport began life as Groupama 3, launched in June 2006 and also known previously as Banque Populaire VII (2013). She was renamed and reconfigured into IDEC Sport by Francis Joyon’s team in late 2015.
- Design & Specs: A 31.5 m Maxi-trimaran built by Multiplast in Vannes in 2005, optimized for crewed speed runs—with foils, a wide beam and a powerful sail plan able to handle sustained high-speed ocean legs
- Crew: Joyon led a skilled six‑person team: Clément Surtel, Alex Pella, Bernard Stamm, Gwénolé Gahinet, Sébastien Audigane, plus Joyon himself
The 2016–17 Jules Verne Campaign
- Launch Attempt: After an earlier November 2016 start ended due to a damaged fin in the South Atlantic, IDEC Sport restarted on 16 December 2016
- Ocean Pace: The team shattered intermediate records—crossing the Indian Ocean at over 800 nm/day for 10 consecutive days, and hitting a peak 24‑hour run of 894 miles (~37.3 knots). In a 12 day period, they remained on port tack, with winds blowing over 30 knots, ideal for fast passage making. Top speeds approached 44 knots.
- Time Splits:
- Ushant to Equator in ~4d 20h
- Equator to Cape Good Hope in ~6d 9h
- Cape Leeuwin reached in 17d 6h 59m — nearly 17 hours ahead of the previous mark
- Finish Line: The crew crossed back aboard Ushant on 26 January 2017 at 07:49 UTC, securing the Jules Verne record in 40d 23h 30m 30s, averaging nearly 27 knots comfortably over 22,400 nm
Context & Competition
- Previous Record: Loïck Peyron and Banque Populaire V set the previous mark in 2012 with 45d 13h 42m 53s
- IDEC Sport’s Legacy: Joyon’s conversion of Groupama 3 into IDEC Sport was critical—upgrading to a six‑crew configuration allowed sustained Southern Ocean speed, leading to a performance leap of 4–5 days over past records
- Ongoing Attempts: Recent challengers include Gitana’s Maxi Edmond de Rothschild and Gabart’s SVR–Lazartigue, but they’ve yet to officially surpass Joyon’s 2017 benchmark
Skipper: Francis Joyon
- Background: Born May 28, 1956, Joyon is one of France’s top offshore sailors. Besides this Jules Verne achievement, he held the single-handed circumnavigation record between 2008–2016 and set multiple transatlantic and ocean passage marks
- Tactical Brilliance: Known for precision seamanship, optimizing sail shape, and data-led weather routing. His leadership steered IDEC Sport to consistently high averages while expertly avoiding Southern Ocean hazards .
Race Summary: A Breakdown
| Leg | Time | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Ushant → Equator | ~4d 20h | Quick North Atlantic sprint |
| Equator → Cape of Good Hope | ~6d 9h | Steady pace into the South Atlantic |
| British Southern Ocean | ~10 days | Sustained 800+ nm daily runs, towering peaks up to 894 nm/day |
| Cape Horn rounding | Day 16 | Tight, daylight rounding—no dramas |
| Return via North Atlantic | ~11 days | Clever routing to dodge anticyclones, maintaining pace |
The result was a near-flawless sustained performance—combining boat design, crew strength, and navigational accuracy to break away from the competition and shatter intermediate metrics.
Final Word
To date, no crewed yacht has officially beaten Francis Joyon’s IDEC Sport time of 40 days 23 hours 30 minutes 30 seconds. Recent contenders may boast impressive partial-time logs and blistering bursts, but Joyon holds the Jules Verne Trophy outright. Your understanding that IDEC Sport is the current fastest is absolutely correct.