“Wrong Way” VDH Update–Last Cape, Coming Up: Jean Luc Van Den Heede is now more than 90 days into his bid to set a new record for circumnavigating the globe solo and non-stop against the prevailing winds. And TWC reckons his voyage is just about as remarkable as Mon. Joyon’s. VDH is now a stunning 24 days ahead of the previous record holder, Philippe Monnet. Joyon smashed the solo “right way” record by about 20 days but he was sailing in a fast trimaran against a record put up by a slower monohull. Monnet sailed in a monohull and VDH is crushing the record in a monohull. No one has ever yet been insane enough to sail a multihull the “wrong way” around the world non-stop, because sailing a multihull into the prevailing winds would be one of the most exquisite tortures ever devised by man. But you know what? It will happen…and sooner rather than later because it is one of the only remaining great Firsts in the world of sailing records. Anyhow, if VDH keeps up his current pace–and he is about to round the Cape of Good Hope and turn north up the Atlantic–he may kick the westabout record as far out of reach as Joyon just kicked the eastabout record. Here are VDH’s thoughts on how he is doing compared to Monnet, despite some recent bad weather:

That hasn’t stopped us eating away bit by bit at Philippe Monnet’s time. I should remind you that he left from Brest in early January hoping to go far down south and pick up some favourable winds close to the Antarctic. He was stopped by the ice, which meant that he found himself off the Cape of Good Hope in early May, which is far from being the ideal period. He reached there the same time as a deep depression, which really slowed him down and forced him to shelter off Port Elisabeth for 25 hours. So tonight as I pass by this port I’ll get another 25 hours added to my lead, while I’m asleep!

I mean, being half-asleep, as with the oilrigs, the cargo ships, fishermen and whales, I have to keep one eye open!

What an incredible round-the-world record-breaking season this is. First Joyon, now VDH. Next up Fossett and DeKersauson, and possibly Jules Verne pioneer Bruno Peyron in a brand new 120-foot catamaran (more on that later)…..



“Smell you later, Monnet, I’ve just got one measly ocean to go before I’m home…..”

(Red: VDH; Blue: Monnet)