The Jules Verne Trophy is a prestigious award for the fastest time around the world on any type of sailing yacht with a crew of any size. The race starts and finishes on the line between Le Créac’h Lighthouse in France and Lizard Point in Cornwall. The race itself is at least 21,600 nautical miles.
Attempts are made annually to claim the title, but skipper Francis Joyon holds the record for 40 days 23 hours 30 minutes and 30 seconds.
No woman has ever been part of a winning team, but an all-female crew is planning to change that. Led by skipper Alexia Barrier (FRA) and co-skipper Dee Caffari (GBR), the all-female team is preparing to make history. If they are to beat the record, they will need to have an average speed of 21.96 knots.
Barrier has named her team ‘The Famous Project’ and they plan to take on the challenge in October 2025. They will be racing on the 100-foot Ultime trimaran IDEC sport. Barrier hopes to complete the route and break the record.
Barrier has sailed the equivalent of 10 laps around the globe, completed the solo, non-stop Vendée Globe, and has raced across the Atlantic 18 times. Caffari has circumnavigated the globe six times and sailed around the world solo, in both directions. She is the only woman to ever accomplish that feat.
“This project will break down barriers,” Caffari said. “It will be the pinnacle of my career, a special record that few people have achieved or even attempted before. It’s a great sporting challenge, but the project in itself is so much bigger. This is about creating an impact for women all around the world.”
Current Crew
• Helena Darvelid (SWE), 12 world speed sailing records
• Sara Hastreiter (USA), round the world sailor and mountain adventurer
• Elodie Jane Mettraux (SUI), leading multihull specialist
• Joan Mulloy (IRL), offshore solo specialist
• Marie Riou (FRA), The Ocean Race winner
• Marie Tabarly (FRA), skipper of Pen Duick VI
