Champion ocean yachtsman Francis Joyon has knocked four days off the Tea Route record, sailing from Hong Kong to London in 31 days and 23 hours.
The new record, achieved by Joyon and crew aboard the maxi-trimaran IDEC SPORT overtakes Giovanni Soldini’s record in his mod70, Maserati.
The Tea Route celebrates the great clipper ships of the mid-19th Century which raced home with the first leaves of the season. The record of 99 days was made by Ariel in 1866.