French sailor Francis Joyon has crossed the equator. In so doing, his maxi trimaran IDEC set a new record time for a single-handed yachtsman, as it has taken him 48 days, 02 hours and 18 minutes to cover the 18,400 miles (great circle distance) from the start back in Brest on the 23rd Novemberhe. He is now 12 days ahead of Ellen MacArthur in his bid to take the solo, non-stop circumnavigation record. But then his 98ft trimaran IDEC is 22 ft longer than was Ellen’s B&Q.

It took Ellen MacArthur, current record holder over 60 days to reach this point.

Ellen MacArthur set the non-stop solo round-the-world record of 71 days two years ago. www.trimaran-idec.com