Frenchman claims record for west-to-east Pacific crossing

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - French sailor Olivier de Kersauson claims to have set a new record for crossing the Pacific from west to east, sailing from Yokohama, Japan, to San Francisco in California in just under 14 days, his spokesman said late Sunday.

The record time was 13 days 22 hours 38 minutes and 36 seconds, the spokesman said.
De Kersauson and a crew of eight (six Frenchmen, an Australian and an American) on board the Geronimo set off from Japan on May 29.
If the time is confirmed, it will top the record of another Frenchman, Bruno Peyron, who sailed the 4,525 miles in 14 days, 17 hours, 22 minutes and 50 seconds from August 2-16, 1998.
De Kersauson has already smashed the record for a Pacific crossing from east to west, with a crew. On April 27 he completed the crossing, in 14 days, 22 hours, 40 minutes and 41 seconds.
That record had been previously held for 10 years by Steve Fossett.