WSSRC Ratify Route de l'Or Record

The World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC) has ratified the New York to San Francisco record set by Gitana 13.

Lionel LEMONCHOIS (FRA) and his nine crew onboard the 110-foot catamaran Gitana 13 smashed the 10 year old record for Route de l’Or. The previous record was 57 days, 3 hours and 21 minutes set by Yves PARLIER (FRA) onboard the Open 60 Aquitaine Innovations in the 1998 Gold Race. This time used Alcatraz as the finish and not the WSSRC line at the Golden Gate Bridge – making a slightly longer course. This will remain as the ‘Race Record’.

The Record

Record: New York – San Francisco
Yacht: Gitana 13
Skipper: Lionel LEMONCHOIS (FRA) and nine crew
Dates: 16 January-28 February 2008
Start time: 16:28:11 UTC 16 January 2008
Finish time: 16:31:29 UTC 28 February 2008
Elapsed time: 43 days, 3 minutes and 18 seconds
Distance: 13,208 nm

Previous Record

Record: New York – San Francisco
Yacht: Aquitaine Innovations
Skipper: Yves PARLIER (FRA)
Dates: January-March 1998
Elapsed time: : 57 days, 3 hours, 21 minutes and 45 seconds
Distance: 13,208 nm
Average Speed: 9.63 knots

Gitana Team – www.gitana-team.com  
World Sailing Speed Record Council – www.sailspeedrecords.com