Frenchman sets new round-the-world sailing record

Sixty-year-old Frenchman Francis Joyon and his five man crew on Thursday smashed the round-the-world sailing record becoming the first team to circumnavigate the globe without assistance in 40 days.

The IDEC SPORT maxi-trimaran, skipped by France's Francis Joyon takes the start of the Jules Verne Trophy, a crewed round the world record attempt, on December 16, 2016 in Brest, western France. FRED TANNEAU / AFP

The team on Idec Sport entered Brest on the west coast of France having completed the trip in 40 days 23 hours, 30 minutes and 30 seconds.

The veteran sailor beat by more than four days, the record set in January 2012 by fellow Frenchman Loick Peyron, who with a crew of 13, set a time of 45 days, 13 hours, 42 minutes and 53 seconds when they won the Jules Verne Trophy.