And they're off! The all-female crew have set off in their attempt to set a round-the-world record

This was certainly a date to be marked on the calendar, because no all-female crew has attempted this immense challenge since 1998 and the sadly aborted attempt by Britain’s Tracy Edwards on the Royal & Sun Alliance catamaran. Alexia Barrier, who hails from Antibes, has accomplished some feat by putting together an international crew of eight professional female sailors. The crew members represent seven nations, are aged 23 to 52, and come from all sailing horizons, from Olympic sailing through to ocean crossings. Together, they have set sail on an epic voyage of more than 40,000 km that will pass around the three great Capes of Good Hope, Leeuwin and Horn, with their sights on breaking the most phenomenal sailing record set nine years ago by Francis Joyon and his 5-man crew, who completed their journey in 40 days, 23 hours and 30 minutes.

But this was their moment: the Bay of Biscay, shaken by the passage of a weather front, gave the sailors a stormy greeting, with waves of 4 to 5 meters, and a northwesterly wind that fortunately lent itself well to downward sailing. The watchword was caution! Try not to break anything, and settle into the boat as best as possible while waiting for the wind to ease and the sea to calm in the middle of the week, somewhere off the coast of Portugal. Then it will be back to the smiles, good humor and kindness that are Alexia’s trademark, a sign that this round-the-world voyage will be nothing short of extraordinary.

ALEXIA BARRIER, Skipper. “We're strong together.”

“I am very happy today, the day we depart on our quest for the Jules Verne Trophy with my crew. I feel very lucky and grateful for all the work we have accomplished together over the last few months and years. It's really a collective celebration to cross that starting line.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous, because what we’re doing is really huge. But to have these incredible girls by my side is immensely reassuring. I'm not alone and I know my crew has what it takes.
We'll be sailing downwind until we get to the equator. We are very familiar with these types of conditions. Further on, the doldrums are still shifting. Brian Thompson, who helped us a lot throughout the trimaran training with the girls, told us “you’re going to experience the toughest 24 hours of your Jules Verne Trophy voyage”.

So you have to stay focused and not get carried away so you don't get hurt or break anything on day one.
We don't have a war cry, we just have a massive group hug. I know that once we're off deck, it will be back to the singing and the smiles. Our comfort zone is to be happy together. I see a lot of emotions in the girls’ eyes and I'm happy to have involved them in this adventure.

I'm proud of what we've all done together again.”

DEE CAFFARI: “A very good start!”

“I'm surprisingly calm, but I think I'm keeping it together for everyone else, because you can feel a bit nervous. The main objective has always been to get to the starting line, and I think today we have taken a massive step forward. This is a really important step, and I think it deserves a little celebration.

It has been a long journey, with ups and downs, but Alexia never lost confidence or faith, and I have supported her all the way. So I'm very happy to be here. Now it's about reminding the girls that we're just going to sail, which is something they do perfectly, but just that they won't be sleeping in a bed for a few days. That's exactly what we practiced in training, so we're just going to go out and enjoy it, and do what we know how to do. We wanted a perfect start, but there is no such thing as perfection in sailing, because we are at the mercy of Mother Nature. That said, it's a very good start.”

Quotes:

Daniel Baal, CIC Chairman: “Now is the time to wish the entire crew of The Famous Project CIC the very best. Congratulations to Alexia for succeeding in keeping her dream alive and mounting this project against all odds, ever the enthusiast and the professional. To have the crew at the starting line is already a victory in my view, and proves how much this commitment goes beyond sporting performance. CIC is proud to support The Famous Project CIC. In doing so, we want to show our support for female commitment in every sense of the term. Now it's time for the sport to take center stage. We will leave it to Alexia, Dee, Stacey, Tamara, Molly, Deborah, Rebecca and Annemieke to write their story and their adventure. We're with them. Make us dream”.

Patrice Lafargue, Groupe IDEC Chairman: “We are thrilled to be supporting Alexia Barrier and her crew in their Jules Verne Trophy attempt. The IDEC SPORT maxi-trimaran has a unique history, and seeing it set off today with an all-female crew ready to set one of the most demanding records is a huge source of pride for everyone at GROUPE IDEC. The Jules Verne Trophy embodies the strong values that we share: respect for the environment, inclusion, passion, surpassing oneself and commitment. Daring, setting challenges and pushing boundaries are what drive the IDEC SPORT’s spirit, and our entire group.”

Eric Pasquier, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors and Head of Strategy at Sopra Steria: “We are proud to be supporting these eight sailors who are embarking on an extraordinary adventure. Beyond the technologies we have brought to this project, everyone at Sopra Steria is rooting for them to succeed in their record attempt. Their daring and determination resonate deeply within our organization. We wish them all the best and salute the magnitude of what they will try to achieve.”

Amanda Mille, Brand and Partnerships Director at Richard Mille: “Today marks a huge milestone: the start of The Famous Project CIC voyage. The entire Richard Mille team stands by you with admiration and pride. Your daring, determination and ability to overcome any challenge that faces you are truly inspiring.”