Jules Verne Trophy records are not nudged forward. They are hunted down. Chased across oceans, measured in seconds, and paid for in exhaustion, precision, and trust.
Between Ushant and Lizard Point, after 40 days, 10 hours, 45 minutes and 50 seconds at sea, Team Sodebo crossed the line aboard Sodebo Ultim 3 as the fastest crew ever to sail non-stop around the world. The previous benchmark, held since 2017, fell by 12 hours and 44 minutes. At this level of offshore racing, that margin is decisive.
Forty Days of Relentless Precision
Led by Thomas Coville, alongside Benjamin Schwartz, Frédéric Denis, Pierre Leboucher, Léonard Legrand, Guillaume Pirouelle and Nicolas Troussel, the crew delivered a campaign shaped as much by restraint as by pace.
The achievement came after nine years and thirteen attempts, including three by Sodebo. Offshore records reward persistence. They also demand judgement. From rerouting in the South Atlantic, to iceberg avoidance deep in the Southern Ocean, to withstanding Storm Ingrid on the final approach, the crew were tested at every latitude.
Despite the conditions, Sodebo Ultim 3 established benchmark times throughout the course.
Ushant to Equator
4 days, 4 hours, 2 minutes, 25 seconds
Average speed since the start: 33.3 knots
Cape of Good Hope
10 days, 23 hours, 55 minutes, 52 seconds
Nearly ten hours faster than the previous reference
Cape Leeuwin
17 days, 1 hour, 17 minutes, 38 seconds
More than five hours ahead of the 2017 pace
Cape Horn
Reached in 26 days, 4 hours, 46 minutes
Almost eleven hours ahead of IDEC Sport
Pacific Ocean record, Tasmania to Cape Horn
7 days, 12 hours, 12 minutes
A new reference time, subject to WSSRC validation
By the return equator crossing, the crew were close to 21 hours ahead of the previous record, averaging close to 30 knots over more than 24,600 nautical miles sailed.
A Collective Story at Sea
Beyond the numbers, this was a deeply human achievement. A crew operating as a single system. Decisions made at speed, under pressure, with no margin for error. The Jules Verne Trophy has always been as much about teamwork as technology, and this record was no exception.
Patricia Brochard, co-chair of Sodebo, reflected on the moment:
“What we love is seeing men and women united around a common project, with unwavering determination. They’ve moved forward together, they’ve grown together. This is exactly what defines Sodebo.”
That unity was visible throughout the campaign, shared day by day with a global audience following the boat’s progress across the world’s most demanding waters.
Why This Matters
For sailing, this record reinforces what is possible when innovation, experience and collective discipline align. For offshore racing, it raises the bar once again. And for those who live and work by the sea, it is a reminder that progress is rarely defined by a single dramatic moment. It is earned mile by mile.
At Henri-Lloyd, we recognise achievements like this not simply for their speed, but for what they represent. Commitment under pressure. Technical mastery tested in real conditions. And the enduring pull of the ocean as a proving ground.
