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The famous project CIC
About us
A gap in history
Our reason for creating The Famous Project CIC is simple: there is a gap in history. Despite the rich maritime history of humankind, no all-female crew has ever made it around the world non-stop and unassisted.
“The Famous Project CIC exists in its current form to take on this challenge, 25 years after Tracy Edwards' all-female team attempted in 1998*, our goal is to become the first all-female team in history to take on this global record. ”
Why is it called The Famous Project CIC?
We want to inspire future generations by making our project famous on a global platform.
Historically women’s sport doesn’t always get as much recognition as men’s sport, and this is also true for the athletes. This tends to be true for female recognition generally - we’re here to change that in a big way.
Establishing an all-female reference time for the Jules Verne Trophy
In sailing, there is an elite and prestigious trophy called the ‘Trophée Jules Verne’ awarded to any sailor for the fastest circumnavigation of the planet. To date, no woman has been part of any crew to conquer this legendary feat.
“The Famous Project CIC is bringing together the best female professional sailors from around the world, with the boat that holds the current record we’re aiming to make history and disrupt this all-male legacy.” - Alexia Barrier
Our ambition is to not only break the record of becoming the first all-female team to race around the world non-stop and unassisted but to also attempt to conquer the Jules Verne Trophy, at the very least establishing an all-female reference time which has never been done before.
The crew will race the 100-foot Ultime trimaran IDEC Sport which is arguably the fastest boat on the planet which also holds the current record for the Trophy Jules Verne, set in 2017 by Francis Joyon and his crew standing at 40 days 23 hours 30 minutes and 30 seconds.
Changing perceptions
As sport around the world becomes more inclusive, we believe sailing should be no different. The Famous Project CIC is about more than just breaking records; it’s about changing perceptions of what women can achieve in the highest levels of competitive sailing. By tackling one of the toughest challenges in the sport, we aim to inspire future generations to pursue their dreams, both on the water and beyond.
Our ambition is that this project will help pave the way for greater representation, visibility, and opportunities for female athletes in sailing, challenging the traditionally male-dominated narrative. We want to show that when given the right resources and support, there are no limits to what we can accomplish.
In 1998 Tracy Edwards MBE led an attempt to win the Jules Verne Trophy with an all-female team aboard the 92-foot catamaran Royal & SunAlliance. The team made significant progress and was well on track to potentially set a record. However, after 43 days at sea, the attempt was abandoned due to a broken mast in the Southern Ocean, a particularly dangerous and risky part of the journey. The damage was too severe to continue, forcing the crew to halt their Jules Verne Trophy challenge. You can watch their story here.
