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Frenchman sets round-the-world sailing record: 49 days

This pictures provided by Sodebon shows French skipper of Sodebo Ultim, Thomas Coville, posing for a photo with a placard that reads “49 days, 3 hours, 38 seconds” as he sails along the French island Ouessant, southwestern end of the English Channel, during the Vendee Globe Challenge round-the-world solo sailing race. (Michel Euler / Associated Press)
Associated Press

PARIS – A little over 49 days – that’s all it took Frenchman Thomas Coville to sail around the world alone, to set what French officials say is a new world record.

Coville sailed into the Brittany port of Brest on Monday on his Sodebo trimaran. He rejoined his family, weeping with joy, thanked his support crews and showered the seas with champagne.

His round-the-world journey, starting from an island in the English Channel, took 49 days, 3 hours, 7 minutes and 38 seconds, according to his website.

It was Coville’s third attempt to beat the previous record of 57 days held by Frenchman Francis Joyon since 2008. The record before that, of 71 days, had been held by British sailor Ellen MacArthur.

Joyon, in a statement, was among those congratulating Coville.