French Sailor Guirec Soudée Sets New World Record for Solo Reverse Circumnavigation

French sailor Guirec Soudée completed a reverse circumnavigation of the globe on Saturday, March 28, 2026, setting a new world record of 94 days, 21 hours and 58 minutes for the east-to-west solo voyage. The 34-year-old Breton crossed the virtual finish line at 9:34 a.m. between the island of Ouessant in Finistère and Cape Lizard at the southwestern tip of England, aboard the maxi-trimaran MACSF. Hundreds of supporters lined the quays of Brest, chanting his nickname and waving Breton flags, as Soudée arrived smiling and visibly emotional after nearly three months at sea.

Record shattered by nearly a month, predecessor on the dock Soudée's time beat the previous record of 122 days and 14 hours, set in 2004 by Jean-Luc Van Den Heede aboard the monohull Adrien, by approximately 27 days. Van Den Heede, now 80 years old, was present on the pontoon in Brest to personally welcome the man who dethroned him.

„When I broke the record 22 years ago, I said that I hoped to live long enough to see someone break the record. I am very happy.” — Jean-Luc Van Den Heede via France 24

Soudée becomes the sixth skipper in history to complete such a voyage and the first to do so in a multihull — all five of his predecessors had used monohulls, vessels considered more stable and resistant to the punishing conditions of the east-to-west route. Van Den Heede acknowledged the difference in equipment, noting that multihulls can take longer, safer routes to dodge the worst weather, and described Soudée's navigation as an act of intelligence as much as endurance.

Reverse circumnavigation record: Record time (before: 122 days, 14 hours (Van Den Heede, 2004), after: 94 days, 21 hours, 58 minutes (Soudée, 2026)); Vessel type (before: Monohull (Adrien), after: Multihull (maxi-trimaran MACSF)); Distance covered (before: Baseline route, after: 37,670+ miles (~70,000 km), approx. 15,500 nautical miles more than predecessor)

Damaged rudder and detours tested the sailor's resolve Since departing on December 23, 2025, Soudée covered more than around the globe, roughly 70,000 kilometers. The route was far from straightforward: to avoid depressions bearing down on him and to find more favorable winds, he sailed approximately 15,500 nautical miles more than Van Den Heede had covered 22 years earlier. After rounding Cape Horn in January, Soudée was forced to head far north of the most direct route to preserve his boat from conditions he judged too rough. He then sailed for several weeks with a starboard rudder damaged by a collision with fishing gear after the Cape of Good Hope, a setback that nearly ended the attempt. Despite those difficulties, Soudée said he never considered abandoning the voyage.

„Never, I didn't think about giving up, I would have gone all the way no matter what happened.” — Guirec Soudée via France 24

„I practically did the normal route twice but I made it to the end! And that's what matters!” — Guirec Soudée via France 24

Tears at the line, a career built on unconventional adventures Soudée described the moment of crossing the finish line as an overwhelming release of pressure after months of sustained focus.

„When I crossed the line, I had tears in my eyes.” — Guirec Soudée via Franceinfo

He added that the weight of the challenge had been present from the very start of the voyage.

„At the start, I had tears in my eyes, because I found myself alone for the first time on my boat.” — Guirec Soudée via Franceinfo

Guirec Soudée first came to wide public attention through a round-the-world sailing trip between 2014 and 2018, during which he was accompanied by a hen named Monique, given to him by friends during a stop in the Canary Islands. He subsequently completed a double Atlantic crossing by rowboat between 2020 and 2021. The reverse circumnavigation route, sailing against prevailing winds and currents, is regarded as one of the most demanding challenges in solo offshore sailing. Jean-Luc Van Den Heede, who held the record since 2004, is also noted for holding the record for the greatest number of Cape Horn passages in competition, with 12 crossings according to his Wikipedia entry.

Soudée described the feat in terms that went beyond sport, framing it as an act of exploration. He is now the fastest sailor ever to complete the east-to-west circumnavigation, a record that stood unchallenged for more than two decades. Van Den Heede, for his part, praised the new record-holder's tactical intelligence in navigating a more fragile vessel safely around the globe, calling the achievement a sporting feat of the highest order.