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Geronimo to begin Jules Verne race
BREST, France -- Frenchman Olivier de Kersauson is preparing to begin his third Jules Verne round-the-world non-stop race off Ushant on Saturday. Kersauson, 57, will be sailing Geronimo, the largest sailing trimaran ever built, with a crew of ten trying to break the record of 64 days, 8 hours and 37 minutes set in May 2002. The giant 34-metre (l10-feet) trimaran Geronimo has been fully prepared and on standby in Brest since early December waiting for a good weather window, which Kersauson's onshore weather router said would come over the weekend. The suitable season for round-the-world attempts lasts from January until March when the Southern Hemisphere winter starts to set in, making it too dangerous to venture deep south, with long hours of darkness, freezing temperatures, fierce storms and icebergs. The advantage of beginning in January is that there is a chance of setting off at least twice before April. Kersauson set off twice in 2002 on Jules Verne attempts, but abandoned in February with a broken tip on the wingmast soon after crossing the start line. On his second attempt, Geronimo crossed the Equator before Kersauson pulled up complaining that vibration in the steering system at high speed did not make it safe to head into the remote regions of the Southern Ocean. Kersauson last held the Jules Verne Trophy in 1997 when he set a time of 71 days, 14 hours, 22 minutes in the 24m (75ft) trimaran Sport Elec. The current record was set by Bruno Peyron in the 34m (110ft) catamaran Orange, cutting seven days off Kersauson's 1997 record and covering 28,035 nautical miles at an average speed of 18.15 knots. Briton Ellen MacArthur, who believes that a record of under 60 days is possible, is also ready and waiting to set off in an attempt to break the record. She will sail Orange, renamed Kingfisher 2, in her attempt.
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