Yacht Racing .com

Geronimo Sets Sail On The Discovery Route

At 08:29:57 GMT (09:29 French time) today, the Cap Gemini/Schneider Electric trimaran crossed the start line in an attempt to break the Cadiz - San Salvador record.

This record course, also known as the Discovery Route, is the same as that taken in 1492 by Christopher Columbus as he set off to discover the New World. The current record of 9 days, 13 hours, 31 minutes and 18 seconds was set in February this year by Steve Fossett and his 38-metre catamaran, Playstation. To beat it, Olivier de Kersauson and his crew must complete the 4,700 miles by 22:15 (GMT) on Thursday 27 November.

Geronimo set off at a cracking 28 knots off the Spanish port earlier this morning. Weather conditions were reasonably good, with a 20-knot onshore north-easterly blowing towards continental Spain. The current weather maps for the course are pretty complex, showing a favourable depression north of Morocco, virtually no Portuguese trade winds and two successive depressions north-east of the West Indies and sitting right over the route.