Trailblazing Women Set Sail for History in Jules Verne Trophy

French skipper Alexia Barrier and her international, all-female crew embark on the Jules Verne Trophy to set the first female crew reference time. Known as 'The Famous Project CIC', the initiative was inspired by underrepresentation in global sailing events. They aim to complete the round-the-world voyage in under 50 days.

French skipper Alexia Barrier and her all-female team are poised to make history by taking on the Jules Verne Trophy off the coast of Brest. This ambitious endeavor is aimed at establishing a benchmark time for women in this non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation race.

The initiative, dubbed 'The Famous Project CIC,' was born following Barrier's experience in the 2020-2021 Vendee Globe, where she was one of the few female finishers. Realizing the lack of female representation spurred her to form an all-women crew.

The team comprises sailors from around the globe, including notable names like Britain's Denise Caffari. The crew is driven to finish the journey aboard the 32-metre Idec Sport trimaran in less than 50 days, inspired by the dream to achieve the nearly impossible.

(With inputs from agencies.)