Cheyenne Sets New 'Round The World Sailing Record

Photos by Thierry Martinez, www.thmartinez.com

Monday 5 April 2004, 14h43 GMT Isle d'Ouessant, France: 58 days 9 hours 32 mins 45 secs after taking the start on February 7th, American skipper Steve Fossett and his international crew of 12 aboard the 125' maxi-catamaran Cheyenne crossed the official WSSRC start-finish line here at Le Stiff lighthouse on the French island of Ouessant (Ushant). They have just demolished the 2 year old Round The World Sailing record - by almost 6 days (an improvement of 5d 23h 4m 39s). Their time topples the May, 2002 mark of Bruno Peyron and Orange I - and fulfils Fossett's decade old ambition to achieve 'the most important record in sailing'.

Steve Fossett Speaking from Cheyenne via satellite phone at the finish line:

Photos by Thierry Martinez, www.thmartinez.com

"The past 24 hours were slow at first, but improving winds became very strong by the time we crossed the line with 2 reefs and staysail it was very dramatic we had our hands full - around this island the tides were whirling. Everyone is just so happy we are all emotionally drained. It's quite a celebration. Everybody on this crew is absolutely delighted; this is a satisfying moment for all of us."

When asked if he ever thought he would not make it Steve said.

"When we started out I thought the chance was 50/50 that we would get around. Then I wondered that the boat might not be fast enough."

Photos by Thierry Martinez, www.thmartinez.com

The official WSSRC course calls for an eastbound passge from Ouessant, leaving the 3 great capes - Cape of Good Hope (S. Africa), Cape Leeuwin (SW Australia) and Cape Horn (Chile) - to Port, returning up the Atlantic to Ouessant. The past 8 weeks have seen Fossett and Cheyenne cover over 25, 000 miles along this course at a blistering pace, through every sort of weather, accompanied by a fistful of new RTW segment records - averting numerous potential technical disasters - including a separated forestay, shorted out instrumentation, broken mast track and (just this week) a disintegrating forward beam connection at the starboard hull - all resolved in a series of astonishing 'running repairs' by Cheyenne's brilliant crew.

Cheyenne's Round the World crew:

Steve Fossett (skipper)	USA
Adrienne Cahalan (navigator)	AUS
David Scully (watch captain)	USA
Brian Thompson (watch captain)	GBR
Jacques Vincent (watch captain)	FRA
Guillermo Altadill	ESP
Mike Beasley	NZL
Fraser Brown	NZL
Mark Featherstone	GBR
Damian Foxall	IRL
Nick Leggatt	RSA
Justin Slattery	IRE
Paul Van Dyke	USA

The following RTW segment records have been set:

Ushant - Leeuwin	25 Days 14 Hours 8 mins
Ushant - Cape Horn	39 Days 16 Hrs 15 mins
Ushant - 2nd Equator	50 Days 3 Hours 2 min
Indian Ocean crossing	9 Days 20 Hrs 29 mins
Cape Horn - Equator	10 Days 6 Hrs 47 mins
Equator - Ushant	8 Days 6 Hrs 30 mins

For detailed maps, images, bios, stories by the crew, plus all position data? & media support information - including access to video and hi res photos - please see www.fossettchallenge.com