FRENCHMAN Olivier de Kersauson yesterday shattered the record for sailing nonstop around the world, beating the previous record by more than three days.

Sailing in the trimaran SportElec to win the Jules Verne trophy, de Kersauson and his crew arrived off the French island of Ouessant in the Atlantic early yesterday, completing a round the world voyage of 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes and eight seconds.

Until yesterday, the record had been held by Peter Blake of New Zealand, who in 1994 sailed around the world nonstop in 74 days, 22 hours, 17 minutes and 22 seconds.