The WSSR states that the reported forthcoming voyage of Maud de Fontenoy is not being attempted under the WSSR Rules and her route has not received approval. Although her proposed voyage may have merit, it cannot be considered as an attempt on Dee Caffari's World Record.
The WSSR Rule for Around the World - rule 26a - calls for a minimum orthodromic track distance of the vessel of at least 21,600 nautical miles (the distance of the great circle). To achieve this it is necessary to start off Ushant or some other remote place in the Northern Hemisphere.
Starting in the Southern Ocean and then sailing around the Antarctic is probably a major achievement in itself, but as this distance will be around 12,000 nm it cannot be described as an Around the World voyage under the WSSR Rules.
The World Record for Around the World Westabout. Singlehanded non-stop
Women is:
Yacht: "Aviva" 72 ft Monohull.
Name: Dee Caffari GBR
Dates: 21st November 2005 to 18th May 2006.
Start time: 13: 49: 29 GMT
Finish time: 16: 55: 03 GMT
Elapsed time: 178 days 3 hours 5 minutes 34 seconds
John Reed
Secretary to the WSSR Council
