Jules Verne Trophy crew announced

14 crew to sail around the world non-stop on Banque Populaire this winter

A few months ago, Banque Populaire appointed Loïck Peyron as skipper of their giant trimaran, entrusting in him the mission of carrying out a new record campaign.

So today Peyron, skipper of Banque Populaire V, has announced the names of the crew who this winter will be on board the 40m trimaran as she makes an attempt on the Jules Verne Trophy.

Since he was appointed on 19 June, the Maxi Banque Populaire V, has set a new reference time for the Record SNSM and for the Rolex Fastnet Race. Peyron sees himself as a conductor: "A conductor must know how to listen a lot, and if possible be extremely well supported by all soloists. A crew needs to be guided to play well together; they need to look in the same direction. My job is to regulate the rhythm, the atmosphere, the confidence. To have a great orchestra, you need good musicians. The music is beautiful, the instrument is incredible. "

Peyron has chosen to rely on a solid base for his round the world crew. So Frederic Le Peutrec and Yvan Ravussin will continue as watch leaders as Incidences La Rochelle sailmaker Jean-Baptiste Le Vaillant  is back on board for his first lap of the planet. Then there are the helmsmen and trimmers - Kevin Escoffier, Xavier Revil, Emmanuel Le Borgne, Britain's Brian Thompson and the boat captain Pierre-Yves Moreau and Thierry Duprey du Vorsent, who already sailed on board during the maxi tri's tour of the Mediterranean, with the addition of Florent Chastel, Thierry Chabagny and Ronan Lucas (Director of Team Banque Populaire), who will work the foredeck. Finally, Peyron will rely on the science of Spanish navigator, Juan Vila, while Marcel van Triest will be the shore-based router.

While his elder brother has set the Jules Verne Trophy record three times, this will be Loick Peyron's first attempt on it, although he has previously sailed a non-stop lap of the planet in a large multihull as skipper of Innoviation Explorer during The Race in 2001.

The objective is to better the time of 48 days 7 hours 44 minutes and 52 seconds set by Franck Cammas and the crew of Groupama 3 in 2010. "This beautiful ship and her crew hold the 24 hours record. If we divide the distance of a world tour by this time of 24 hours, we arrive at a totally indecent time... utopia is there, the reality lies between here and there ... If there's one thing the sailors are confident in, is that they are sure of anything ". That's said, it’s now time for the most beautiful sailing.

Crew line-up for the Jules Verne Trophy

Loïck Peyron, skipper
Juan Vila, embarked navigator, in charge of electronic / IT

Watch n°1
Jean-Baptiste Le Vaillant, watch leader, in charge of sails
Kevin Escoffier, helmsman/trimmer, in charge of video and structure
Xavier Revil, helmsman/trimmer, in charge of food and life on board
Florent Chastel, bowman, in charge of safety and deck hardware

Watch n°2
Frederic Le Peutrec, watch leader
Emmanuel Le Borgne, helmsman/trimmer, medical officer and in charge of composites
Thierry Duprey du Vorsent, helmsman/trimmer, in charge of mechanics and energy
Ronan Lucas, bowman, in charge of safety

Watch n°3
Yvan Ravussin, watch leader, in charge of composites
Brian Thompson, helmsman/trimmer
Pierre-Yves Moreau, trimmer, in charge of mechanics and hydraulics
Thierry Chabagny, bowman, helmsman/trimmer, in charge of riggings and sails

Marcel van Triest, shore-based router