Emmanuel Coindre has successfully achieved his challenge of rowing across the northern passage of the Pacific, from Japan to the United States, meaning almost 11,000 km in 129 hours 17 hours 22 minutes and 22 seconds. Jaeger-LeCoultre supported the sportsman at each step of this daunting and ambitious undertaking, during which Emmanuel’s physical and mental preparation was confronted with extremely unfavourable weather conditions. The Master Compressor Extreme World Chronograph remained firmly strapped to his wrist throughout the voyage.

After leaving the marina in Choshi (Japan) on June 24th 2005, he arrived on Monday October 31st (at 3 pm local time) via longitude 124°40’00’’ W, powered exclusively by the strength of his own arms, with no stops and no assistance, on a 6.50 meter composite rowboat (based on plans by F. Lucas).

He covered almost 11,000 km at a rate of 15 to 18 hours’ bare-handed rowing per day, facing the many tempests that are frequent in the Northern hemisphere which is often the scene of all kinds of extremes including typhoons. In addition to capsizing 16 times, his trials included squalls, fog and counter-currents, his only material comfort consisting of a few freeze-dried meals and some high-energy bars.

Penalised by 49 days of head winds and around 70 days of rain, the rower from La Baule (France) demonstrated his courage and his tenacity, developing a sense of essentials, living at the mercy of this difficult Ocean and attempting to rest in his I sq.m. “loft”, accompanied only seagulls, sharks (14), dolphins and other sea creatures including killer whales.

This 32 year-old athlete who consistently dedicates his knowledge to pushing his limits already has five transatlantic crossings and a number of records to his credit, including two-way world records between the Canary Islands and Guadeloupe in 42 days, and Boston-USA/La Baule-France in 62 days.

A man with of generosity and commitment, he is dedicating his odyssey to the sick children of the Necker Hospital in Paris, thereby making this a truly symbolic crossing filled with hope and encouragement.
©S.Ciejka

Emmanuel Coindre : “A watch is an indispensable instrument for all sailors, and here again time was a precious tool, as indeed was the world time function to help me find my way through the various time zones. One of the key characteristics of the Master Compressor Extreme World Chronograph is an anti-shock system patented by Jaeger-LeCoultre which was particularly useful throughout my voyage, particularly when you consider that the boat capsized 16 times and that the humidity rate was over 90% for the full 129 days.”

Jérôme Lambert, CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre : “From June 24th to October 31st, the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre has been living and breathing in unison with Emmanuel Coindre. On the huge map of his voyage, a dot signalled his position each day. Staff members stopped for a moment in front of this panel to send him a silent message of encouragement. The small Jaeger-LeCoultre team that was following him on a daily basis centralised and transmitted the encouraging e-mails that fanned the flame of passion, as the sailor noted in his logbook.

What could Jaeger-LeCoultre to accompany him in an adventure for which the word “extreme” seems barely sufficient? Naturally, by entrusting him with one of its most reliable timepieces, providing him with logistic backing, believing in him and supporting him at each moment of this unique odyssey. Faced with the raging elements, a spiritual dimension is essential in order to withstand the torments of doubt. The same trust drives the designers at Jaeger-LeCoultre who know that, despite the difficulties encountered along the way, they will succeed in drawing even closer to perfection.”





It is with the emotion born of a shared adventure that Jaeger-LeCoultre salutes Emmanuel Coindre’s extraordinary feat by creating a limited series of 30 Master Compressor Extreme World Chronographs.
20 titanium & steel watches and 10 titanium & platinum watches will preserve the memory of this unique undertaking. This series features the yellow and black colours of Emmanuel’s boat, with a world time disc on which Choshi replaces Tokyo and San Francisco Los Angeles, along with a specially engraved seal on the back.
Such is the well-deserved tribute paid by the indomitable watchmakers settled on the shores of a mountain lake to a man who defies the infinity of sea and sky.



Source: Jaeger LeCoultre

www.jaeger-lecoultre.com

Contact: [email protected]
(credit europastar.com)