Hydrofoil trimaran sets a new world speed record of 50.17 knots (92.91 km/h)*, a wonderful gift from Alain Thébault, Thierry Lombard and their team to their new sponsor, Audemars Piguet.

Barely two months after crossing the magical 50-knot threshold, the equivalent of breaking the sound barrier in aviation, l’Hydroptère confirmed its status as the planet’s fastest flying trimaran, beating the world record at an average speed of 50.17 knots* over one nautical mile (92.91 km/h). Alain Thébault and his ten-man crew achieved this exceptional feat at their speed base in Hyères on Sunday, November 8th, in a 28-knot northwesterly wind. L’Hydroptère capped off a fantastic series of records posted in the Mediterranean and set a new benchmark in the world of sailing.

"For 30 years, passion and daring have carried me forward, but this victory really belongs to our indomitable, tight-knit team. The historic record of more than 50 knots over one nautical mile is powerful because it lies at the frontier between the twin capacities of this extraordinary flying trimaran that is both a high-speed craft and an ocean-going sailboat. Our team now holds the top two speed records in the world, 51.36 knots over 500 metres and 50.17 knots over one nautical mile*, and we can now concentrate on ocean sailing in 2010", commented Alain Thébault.

This performance is a wonderful welcome gift for watchmaker Audemars Piguet, which had decided to associate itself with this incredible adventure a few weeks ago, along with private bankers Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch & Cie.

The union of Audemars Piguet and Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch & Cie around this project is almost natural: as age-old family businesses, they share many values, such as tradition, excellence and expertise. As entrepreneurs, they have a history marked by a commitment to innovation, discovery and inspiring challenges. "Our two firms share the same foundations and the same passions. So it was logical for us to come together on this unique, unconventional and avant-garde project that embodies incredibly powerful human and technological values", said Thierry Lombard, an avid sailor who is keen on challenges, sailing and technology. Before it became a project of the private bankers, whose founding year - 1796 - is written on the mainsail, l’Hydroptère was originally a personal project.

The 60-ft Hydroptère (from the Greek hydros, water, and ptera, wing), is a hydrofoil trimaran (the foils are actually underwater wings). It is a sleek and elegant craft with a central hull and a mast 28 metres high, stabilised by two side floats separated from the hull by huge 24-metre carbon crossbeams built at the Airbus plant in Nantes. The innovative design of the boat, which flies on submerged wings, cleverly constructed out of carbon and titanium, make it much faster, more durable and lightweight (only 6.5 tonnes). The flight envelope of the prototype is continuously defined and validated on a 3D flight simulator developed specifically for this carbon bird, which represents the new generation of extreme sailing.

Alain Thébault, designer and skipper of this Formula 1 of the seas, had always dreamt of making a boat fly. After 20 years of research and development, the flying boat is now a robust, powerful craft thanks to the help of eight retired engineers from Dassault Aviation and EADS-Airbus who volunteered their time. l’Hydroptère is the perfect combination of cutting edge technology, performance and human adventure. This unique project was created by a team of sailing buffs, engineers, technicians and aircraft manufacturers. In 2006, the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) joined the team and became "Official Scientific Adviser" to assist in advanced fields such as aero-hydrodynamics, composite materials, structural behaviour and video imaging.

* subject to ratification by the World Sailing Speed Record Council