A crew of rugged sailors has circumnavigated the globe – the first non-stop, unassisted trip around the world made by all women.
The eight intrepid travelers — representing seven nationalities and ranging in age from 23 to 53 — set sail in late November and crossed the finish line on Monday. They started and ended between the Créac’h lighthouse on the island of Ouessant, France, and Lizard Point lighthouse, which is on the southernmost tip of England.
At the outset of the arduous nautical journey, the women were focused on being mentally prepared.
“Obviously, I’m a little nervous because what we’re doing is huge,” French former Vendée Globe skipper Alexia Barrier told Yachting World before they started. “But what reassures me a lot is having these incredible girls by my side. I’m not alone and I know my team is up to the task.
“I feel very lucky and grateful for all the work that has been done over the last few months and years, all together,” she added.
The all-female crew had hoped to break records for the Jules Verne Trophy, a prize for the fastest circumnavigation of the world by any type of yacht (which references the Jules Verne novel, Around the World in Eighty Days). But after a turbulent time at sea, their trip took 57 days, 22 hours and 20 minutes.
The prize was ultimately claimed by another group of sailors aboard the Sodebo Ultim 3, which traversed the course in 40 days, 10 hours, and 45 minutes and 50 seconds.
Crews that try to break this record must pass the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, Cape Leeuwin in Australia, and Cape Horn in Chile before crossing the same line in the opposite direction to finish. The giant circle clocks in at 21,760 nautical miles.
At one point, The Famous Project’s mainsail tore in half due to strong winds, and 45-knot winds in Storm Ingrid tore the sail apart even more. The women sailed on little more than a headboard and wingmast on their maxi trimaran for the final stretch, according to reports.
Just 14 female sailors have ever attempted to break the Jules Verne Trophy records. In 2023-24, an all-female crew on a yacht called the Maiden became the first women to win the Ocean Globe Race, which also requires them to circle the world.
“If it were easy, everyone would do it,” quipped a member of the crew, British sailor Dee Caffari.
