IDEC SPORT is down in the Mediterranean for a few days. Francis Joyon’s maxi trimaran will be carrying out some PR operations in Toulon and Saint Tropez until 20th May. On board many of the crewmen from the last attempt at the Jules Verne Trophy.
Before setting off from Brittany, Francis Joyon explained, “It will take us around six days to sail from La Trinité to Toulon. It will be a good opportunity to get used to the boat again in long distance mode. Alongside the shore team, my son Corentin and Sébastien Picault, I’ll have Alex Pella and Jean-Baptiste Le Vaillant with me, who know the trimaran very well, so we’ll be able to talk about how to trim her and set the sails.”
Francis Joyon is once again back sailing in the Mediterranean, as he has done in the past. As he did with his previous boat, he will be carrying out PR operations in the South of France for the IDEC GROUP. The big, red boat will be in Toulon and then Saint Tropez until 20th May a fortnight after putting on a great show at the Guyader Grand Prix in Douarnenez. “We enjoyed ourselves there, particularly with peak speeds of 40 knots, but on the day the speed runs were being monitored, there wasn’t enough wind for us and we were beaten by a foiling kiteboard… which was pretty funny.” More than half of the crew from the Jules Verne Trophy will be aboard, as alongside Francis Joyon and Alex Pella, the Swiss sailor, Bernard Stamm and the French sailor, Clément Surtel will be joining the crew.
After the winter refit, these two delivery trips from the Atlantic to the Med and back to the Atlantic and the trips in the South will also be a good way to start to prepare for the next round the world voyage. Francis Joyon has already announced that IDEC SPORT will be making another attempt at the record next autumn. “But before that, if the weather allows us, once we get back to la Trinité, I’ll try to get in some solo sailing,” added Francis Joyon, pleased to be back sailing longer distances again. The big, red trimaran is back in the water and getting some exercise…
