French skipper Coville sets new round-the-world sailing record

French skipper Thomas Coville (R) and his crew members celebrate aboard the Ultim class multihull "Sodebo Ultim 3" as they arrive at the end of their Jules Verne Trophy attempt, in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Brest, Brittany, western France, on 25 January 2026. AFP - LOIC VENANCE

A French crew, lead by skipper Thomas Coville set a new round-the-world sailing record on Sunday, beating Francis Joyon's 2017 time by half a day. The trimaran Sodebo Ultim 3 made the circumnavigation in at 40 days, 10 hours and 45 minutes.

Arriving at the port of Brest, the dishevelled and dazed 57-year-old skipper Thomas Coville said he found the result "almost hard to believe".