Frenchman Joyon sets round-the-world record in 40 days

[January 26, 2017]    PARIS (Reuters) - Frenchman Francis Joyon and his crew, aboard the trimaran IDEC Sport, won the Jules Verne trophy for fastest outright sailing time around the world with a time of 40 days 23 hours and 30 minutes on Thursday.

 French skipper Francis Joyon sails after crossing the starting line of the Route du Rhum race off Le Cap Frehel, near Saint-Malo, French Brittany, October 31, 2010. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

The previous record was held by France's Loic Peyron, who had completed the circumnavigation around the world in 45 days 13 hours and 42 minutes in 2012.

Last month, Thomas Coville of France set a new solo round-the-world record in 49 days.

Joyon, 60, completed his trip in the early hours of Thursday near Ouessant, in Brittany, with a crew of five -- Clement Surtel, Alex Pella, Bernard Stamm, Gwenole Gahinet and Sebastien Audigane.

(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)

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