World’s Fastest Trimaran

Swiss luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet received a great gift from the L’Hydroptère, which they sponsor. Alain Thébault, Thierry Lombard, and their 10-man crew set a new world speed record of 50.17 knots with the Hydrofoil trimaran over one nautical mile n a 28-knot northwesterly wind.

With its speed being equivalent to 92.91 km/h, it’s officially the world’s fastest flying trimaran as of November 8. The 60-foot Hydroptère capped off a fantastic series of records posted in the Mediterranean and set a new benchmark in the world of sailing.

Thébault commented, “For 30 years, passion and daring have carried me forward, but this victory really belongs to our indomitable, tight-knit team. The historic record of more than 50 knots over one nautical mile is powerful because it lies at the frontier between the twin capacities of this extraordinary flying trimaran that is both a high-speed craft and an ocean-going sailboat. Our team now holds the top two speed records in the world, 51.36 knots over 500 metres and 50.17 knots over one nautical mile, and we can now concentrate on ocean sailing in 2010.”

Via: Audemars Piquet