All-female Jules Verne challenge

Skipper Alexia Barrier and the all-female crew of the Famous Project have announced their plans to bid for a Jules Verne Trophy challenge this winter.

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The Jules Verne Trophy is awarded for the fastest nonstop, crewed, around the world voyage, and no all-female team has ever completed an attempt.

Barrier's team includes her second in command, British ocean racer Dee Caffari who has sailed around the world six times. They are joined by Volvo Ocean Race and IMOCA sailor Annemieke Bes (NED); multiple Olympic and world champion Tamara Echegoyen (ESP); ocean racer Rebecca Gmeur (SUI); up-and-coming British sailor Deborah Blair; and boat captain Molly Lapointe (USA/ITA). Barrier is a graduate of many French ocean racing classes, including the Mini 6.50, Figaro and Class40, and completed the 2020/21 Vendée Globe.

"Before setting off on the 2020 Vendée Globe, I knew I wanted to sail around the world in a multihull. So I knew what my next sporting project would be," recalls Barrier. "And I wanted to give meaning to this new adventure.