The Race...Innovation Explorer arrives in Marseilles

by The Race Media on 7 Mar 2001 Innovation Explorer crossed the finishing line of The Race today, Tuesday 6th March 2001 at 11 hours 32 minutes and 38 seconds GMT, in second position in The Race of the Millennium.

The crew of the maxi-catamaran skippered by Loïck Peyron and co-skippered by Skip Novak took the start on December 31st last in Barcelona (Spain) for a 23,300 mile circumnavigation (theoretical route) or more than 43,000 km across three oceans, the Atlantic, the Indian and the Pacific. This race that pitched together six 'No Limits' catamarans around the globe involved leaving to starboard the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa), Cape Leeuwin (Australia) and finally Cape Horn (Chili).

Club Med first, Innovation Explorer second... She took exactly 64 days 22 hours 32 minutes and 38 seconds to complete this circumnavigation via the three capes punctuated by a compulsory passage through the Cook Straits (New Zealand), or 2 days 15 hours and 36 minutes more than Club Med.

She covered 28,764 nautical miles, or 53,271,3 km at an average speed of 18,45 knots, or 34,2 kph.

After this world premier and among the outstanding moments, Innovation Explorer was the holder for a few days of the world record for the greatest distance covered by a sailboat in 24 hours. The maxi-catamaran skippered by Loïck Peyron beat the record on February 2nd covering 629.5 miles at an average speed of 26 knots. This record was beaten again and taken back by Club Med, taking it up to 655.2 miles a few days later...

16th February 2000: Innovation Explorer beat another record... She was to prove the fastest between the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) and Cape Horn (Chili). She took 21 days, 7 hours and 5 minutes to swallow up the Southern Ocean including a passage through the Cook Straits!

Crew of Innovation Explorer:
Loïck Peyron : Skipper
Skip Novak : Co-skipper
Roger Nilson : Navigator
Elena Caputo-Novak
Yves Loday
Julien Cressant
Xavier Dagault
Thierry Douillard
Olivier Lozachmeur
Loïck le Mignon
Jean-Philippe Saliou
Jêrome Teigné