A mere 80 days to make it round the world, with no engine, travelling only by the power of wind and physical strength – this is the task set by the French Jules Verne Trophy, which was first presented in 1990. In 1993, the sailors Peter Blake and Robin Knox-Johnston undertook the adventure in their catamaran ENZA New Zealand, only to fail with a broken sail in the Indonesian Ocean. A year later, and they made a second attempt. Despite difficult circumstances, the team succeeded in completing the journey via Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope in 74 days, 22 hours, 17 minutes and 22 seconds. A world record! The progress of sail technology in the intervening years is demonstrated by the current record: in 2012, Frenchman Loick Peyron managed it in just 45 days and 13 hours.

Photo: Christian Fevrier / Rex Features