Sunday, January 25, 2026 – Arrival at the finish line tomorrow, Monday, January 26, between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
The Famous Project CIC girls’ great voyage around the world will come to an end tomorrow, Monday, January 26, 2026, between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., when the Maxi Trimaran IDEC SPORT crosses the finish line of the Jules Verne Trophy in Ouessant.
It will take another four hours or so before Alexia Barrier, Dee Caffari, Annemieke Bes, Rebecca Gmür Hornell, Deborah Blair, Molly LaPointe, Támara Echegoyen, and Stacey Jackson enter the Brest harbor and moor their giant at Quai Malbert.
But before this long-awaited conclusion for the girls and their loved ones, they must face rough weather in the Bay of Biscay on a sailboat that has been significantly weakened since losing its mainsail.
The sailors of The Famous Project CIC have made good progress over the last 24 hours towards France and Brittany, managing to maintain an average speed of around 16 knots by alternating between the staysail (J3) and jib (J2) depending on the strength and direction of the wind. It is under single mast, perhaps still with the J3, that they will have to negotiate the 45 knots of north-northwest wind expected near the Rochebonne plateau, also known for the hellish state of its waters caused by the rise of the continental shelf’s shoals.
Nothing will be spared these eight women as they complete their journey as a multihull crew, an uncompromising non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the globe.
In the words of Alexia Barrier
“We’re counting the miles to the finish line, more than ever. And at the same time, we’re staying on our toes. The waves are big. The wind is still as strong as ever. We can’t break anything. We keep an eye on everything. All the time. The J3 thinks it’s a movie star. This little headsail is the star of the finish of our round-the-world trip. We handle it with the delicacy of an art restorer. Every move counts. At night, we light it up with our flashlights. Close-up. Wide shot. From head to toe. We inspect. We check. And we start again. Not even the slightest scratch is allowed.“
Excerpt from an article by The Famous Project CIC
Follow the adventure on IDEC SPORT social media and via the comprehensive map =>> https://trimaran-idec.geovoile.com/julesverne/2025/viewer/
