An exceptional sailor, Francis JOYON, winner of the last “Route du Rhum”
Whether sailing solo or with a crew, Francis Joyon has held all the major records.
Champion of the extreme, he is the only sailor to have held all the major solo records at the same time: The round the world, Atlantic and 24-hour records… He achieved this with his very own way of doing things: doing better with less.
His meeting with the IDEC GROUP in 2002 would be a turning point in his career. Francis Joyon went on an incredible record-breaking spree, starting with the most prestigious: the non-stop solo, round the world record, where he set a new record time of 72 days, 22 hours 54 minutes and 22 seconds in 2004. A year later, the British yachtswoman, Ellen MacArthur grabbed the record from him, leading the Frenchman to try once again. Meanwhile, he had smashed another legendary record: the solo North Atlantic record. Thanks to the loyal support of the IDEC GROUP, Francis had a new trimaran built designed specifically to sail around the world. Aboard IDEC, the second to bear the name, he shattered the record with a time of 57 days 13 hours 34 minutes and 6 seconds and improved on other major records: the North Atlantic, the 24-Hour record and the Columbus Route.
Sailing around the world in 40 days
Francis Joyon and his crew triumphantly completed the legendary Jules Verne trophy record finishing in Brest on 26th January. All of the intermediate records would be broken (thirteen in all). 40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes and 30 seconds, or 4 days and 14 hours better than Loïck Peyron’s crew which had previously held the record.
Winner of the Route Du Rhum
Hardly had he time to get over his 40-day voyage around the world, and Francis was already aiming for another success by tackling the legendary Route du Rhum, a race which he had been dreaming of since the start and had taken part in six times.
Far from being the favourite when they set off from Saint-Malo, he faced the new generation of flying trimarans. IDEC SPORT would once again pull off a huge success winning the 2018 Route du Rhum by crossing the finish line in Point à Pitre after 7d 14hrs 21 mins and 47s of racing, just a few minutes ahead of Francis Gabart’s MACIF trimaran.
ACHIEVEMENTS
- 2020 The Tea Route record between Hong Kong and London with a time of 31 d. 23 hrs 36 mins and 46s
- 2019 Record between Ho Chi Minh and Shenzen with a time of 2 d. 20 hrs 28 mins and 51s
- 2019 Record between Mauritius and Ho Chi Minh with a time of 12 d. 20 hrs 37 mins and 56s
- 2019 La Mauricienne record between France and Mauritius with a time of 19 d. 18 hrs 14 mins and 45s
- 2018 Victory in the Route du Rhum with a time of 7 d. 14 hrs 21 mins and 47s
- 2017 North Atlantic record 5 d. 2hrs and 7 mins(improved upon by Thomas Coville)
- 2017 Jules Verne Trophy record in 40 d. 23 hrs and 30 mins
- 2015 Indian Ocean record in 7 d.
- 2014 Friendship Route record between Bordeaux and Rio de Janeiro in 13 d. 4 hrs and 5 mins
- 2013 Solo North Atlantic record in 5d. 2 hrs 56 mins and 10s
- 2013 Columbus Route record in 8 d. 16 hrs 7 mins and 5s (improved upon by Armel Le Cléac’h)
- 2012 24-Hour Solo record covering 666.2 miles (improved upon by Armel Le Cléac’h)
- 2009 Record between France and Mauritius in 26 d. 4 hrs and 13 mins (first reference time)
- 2008 Outright solo round the world record in 57 d. 13 hrs 34 mins and 6s (improved upon by François Gabart)
- 2007 Solo Channel crossing in 6 hrs 23 mins and 36s (record still valid today)
- 2005 Solo North Atlantic crossing in 6 d. 4 hrs and 1 min
- 2004 Outright solo round the world record in 72 d. 22 hrs 54 mins and 22s
- 2001 Winner of the Fastnet
- 2000 Winner of the Transat Europe 1
