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If at first you don't succeed
06:13 a.m. EST Dec 17, 2003
Try, try again. This time-honored expression sounds like Jean Luc Van Den Heede’s guiding motto. The 58-year old sailor is on now on his fourth solo attempt to sail around the world non-stop the “wrong way.” Meaning - from East to West, against the prevailing winds for the majority of the voyage. It’s a journey only four others have accomplished. Chay Blyth was the first in 1970. He completed the voyage in 292 days. French skipper Philippe Monnet set a new record in 2000 when he succeeded in rounding the world the “wrong” way in 151 days.
Circumnavigating the world from East to West is said to require “Twice the Distance - Three times the Time - Four times the Suffering.”
Jean Luc should know. He first set out to challenge the record in 1999, which ended when his boat hit an unidentified floating object in the Southern Ocean, and took on water. In 2001, a problematic keel brought his trip to a halt just after rounding Cape Horn. And on last year’s attempt ended when Jean Luc’s boat “Adrien” dismasted in the Southern Ocean.
But he’s back for another go. Jean Luc set off from Les Sables d’Olonne on November 6, 2003 aboard his monohull “Adrien,” which now has a strengthened hull, keel and mast. His goal is to beat record holder Philippe Monnet’s record of 151 days, 19 hours and 54 minutes. Thus, Jean Luc needs to cross the finish line by about 0715 GMT on April 7th. But he aims to be back by April 1st.
Only four others have circumnavigated the world single-handed and nonstop from East to West. Jean Luc aims to beat this record by at least 10 days.
Four time circumnavigator Jean Luc Van Den Heede is attempting to break the record for sailing around the world solo and non-stop the “wrong way” – from East to West, against prevailing winds. It his fourth try in five years. Jean Luc has successfully completed four single-handed round the world voyages. He has taken 2nd and 3rd place in the Vendée Globe as well as 2nd and 3rd in the BOC Challenge.
Image of Jean Luc Van den Heede crossing the equator courtesy of vdh.fr/gb
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