Sodebo Ultim 3 breaks Jules Verne Trophy record with a 40d 10h 45m circumnavigation

The Sodebo Ultim 3 covered 28,315 miles non-stop at an average speed of 27.17 knots, crossing the virtual finish line between Ushant and Lizard Point at 07:46 (French time) and setting a new benchmark for the Jules Verne Trophy in 40 days, 10 hours, 45 minutes.

At a glance: route milestones and pace

Key passage times underline the trimaran’s relentless pace: Equator in 4 days 4 hours, Cape of Good Hope in just under 11 days, and Cape Leeuwin at 17 days 1 hour. The Pacific crossing was achieved in 7 days 12 hours 12 minutes — a passage that shaved hours off previous bests and demonstrated Sodebo’s sustained speed through the Southern Ocean.

Performance table

Crew, craft and critical incidents

The race crew aboard Sodebo Ultim 3 included Thomas Coville, Benjamin Schwartz, Frédéric Denis, Pierre Leboucher, Léonard Legrand and Guillaume Pirouelle. The boat battled heavy seas and experienced damage to a starboard rudder casing during Storm Ingrid, yet managed to regain speeds near 30 knots for the closing miles.

Who did what — quick crew list

• Thomas Coville — skipper and strategic decision-maker
• Benjamin Schwartz — watch leader and sail trims
• Frédéric Denis — systems and engineering
• Pierre Leboucher — navigation and routing support
• Léonard Legrand — onboard media and performance analysis
• Guillaume Pirouelle — sail handling and deck operations

Weather windows, routing and risk management

Routing through the Southern Ocean required constant adjustments: the position of the St Helena High forced additional mileage in the South Atlantic, and commanders had to steer clear of rogue ice. The final leg was complicated by an Atlantic depression, Storm Ingrid, which compelled a westerly detour and temporary speed reductions to protect the trimaran from potentially boat-breaking seas.

Technical takeaways

The Ultim class — fully foiling and at the cutting edge of offshore technology — has been vulnerable to breakdowns in prior attempts; this is the first time an Ultim has completed a non-stop circumnavigation for the Jules Verne Trophy. Sodebo’s campaign combined cutting-edge design, robust damage control and aggressive weather routing to convert raw speed into a validated record.

Historical perspective and team legacy

Thomas Coville adds this achievement to a storied career that includes two previous Jules Verne records as crew and a solo non-stop circumnavigation record in 2016. Sodebo, the family-run food company that has supported Coville since 1998, marked the finish in Brest with public celebrations and praise for the team’s long-term partnership and determination.

Challenges overcome

• Rudder casing damage during Storm Ingrid
• Extra routing miles due to St Helena High
• Rogue ice avoidance in the Southern Ocean
• Consistent high-wind exposure and engineering stress

Highlights of the voyage include two new passage records (Ushant–Equator and the Pacific crossing) and benchmark times at each Great Cape — evidence that speed and resilience went hand in hand. Even with the best planning and tech, the crew’s judgment under pressure proved decisive.

For travelers and maritime enthusiasts visiting Brittany and the wider region, the Sodebo achievement adds a fresh layer to coastal tourism. GetExperience curates local maritime and sailing experiences that let visitors see ports like Brest, Ushant and nearby lighthouses from a seafaring perspective — from museum tours with live guides to exclusive yacht charters for events. On GetExperience, you book experiences from verified providers at reasonable prices, securing transparent payments and voucher confirmations; it’s an ideal way to compare options before committing. Book now GetExperience.com

In summary, the Sodebo Ultim 3’s Jules Verne victory combined relentless average speeds, careful routing, and damage management to reset the non-stop circumnavigation benchmark at 40d 10h 45m. This feat touches on many travel experiences and adventure activities: it inspires yacht parties, cruise packages and exclusive yacht charters for events; it sparks interest in safari tours and eco-friendly wildlife safaris for those seeking onshore adventures; it complements museum tours with live guides and interactive online cultural workshops for landlubbers; and it even encourages online virtual tours and professional esports training programs as new forms of shared adventure. Whether you pursue luxury adventure travel experiences, try beginner esports coaching sessions, join adventure rafting trips for beginners, or explore interactive cultural options, the Sodebo story reminds us that the most convincing recommendation remains personal experience — book the right trip and find out for yourself.