Another One Goes On Standby…: If you love round-the-world sailboat racing, 2004 was a kickass year. We started with Steve Fossett and Cheyenne, racing Olivier De Kersauson and Geronimo. We got Francis Joyon setting a solo, non-stop record that was astounding. And we ended up with Ellen MacArthur chasing down the Vendee Globe racers. And now, barely into 2005, and with Ellen Mac still at sea and beating a record I thought might never be beaten, Bruno Peyron and his maxi-cat Orange II are on standby to take a run at the outright, non-stop record. Orange II is a beast, a second generation 120-foot rocketship. She had to pull out of a Jules Vern attempt last year with a rash of breakdowns. But since then she has gone on to claim the 24 hour record by sailing an unbelievable 706 miles while almost nabbing Fossett’s epic transatlantic 4 day, 17 hour record (Orange II missed by a half hour).

Peyron’s aim for this lap is to both beat Olivier De Kersauson’s Jules Verne Trophy time of 63 days, and, more important, nail Fossett’s outright circumnavigation record of 58 days and 9.5 hours (Fossett refused to pay the Jules Verne fee). If he succeeds he will reunite the outright record and the Jules Verne record, doing us all a favor by making speed sailing just a little less confusing. To do it, he’s got a crew of 14 (mostly French) that has 171 transatlantic crossings, and 21 circumnavigations among them. There’s no good looking weather window right now. But stay tuned. These guys will be off in the next week or two…



“Okay, Bruno. The Anglos are stealing all our records, so let’s whip this nag around the planet to reclaim the honor of our glorious Republic…”