Wednesday, December 24 – Cape Leeuwin crossed
At 1:19 p.m. (French time), the sailors aboard the maxi-trimaran crossed the second major cape of their Jules Verne Trophy attempt, after Good Hope on December 16 and before Cape Horn, after 25 days of sailing since their departure from Ushant.
This was a highly symbolic crossing, especially for the newcomers on board, and was received and appreciated as a real gift at the end of a beautiful and fast week in the Indian Ocean. The IDEC SPORT maxi-trimaran demonstrated the full extent of its astonishing seagoing qualities in rough seas and strong northwesterly winds, which enabled Alexia and her “girls” to cover nearly 700 miles in 24 hours at an average speed of over 27 knots.
This cavalcade was briefly interrupted this morning by a huge fishing net and its floats caught in the starboard foil of the large multihull. “We went from 30 knots to 5!” explains Alexia. “We put the boat in reverse and were able to remove the large net, but the foil remained stuck in the down position for a while. Everything is now back to normal. “
Words from Alexia Barrier
”Leeuwin is a cape that commands respect, even when everything is going well. We know we are far from everything, committed, and that we are no longer playing with margins. Crossing it is both a source of pride and a reminder: we are guests here. So we remain humble, focused, and grateful to be able to pass through. The Indian Ocean remains the Indian Ocean: demanding, changeable, sometimes harsh. We feel that the team is a real driving force, and that makes all the difference in the long run.
Such is the tumultuous life of adventurers in the Southern Ocean, where euphoria is followed by anxiety, and vice versa. But on this Christmas Eve, it will take more than a fishing net to dampen the enthusiasm of the crew, who are more comfortable than ever at the helm of their giant multihull in the demanding conditions of the Southern Ocean.
Excerpt from an article by The Famous Project CIC
Follow the adventure on IDEC SPORT’s social media and via the comprehensive map =>> https://trimaran-idec.geovoile.com/julesverne/2025/viewer/
