The Jules Verne Trophy is a prize for the fastest circumnavigation of the world by any type of yacht with no restrictions on the size of the crew. It was first awarded to the first yacht which sailed around the world in less than 80 days (hence the name: Jules Verne wrote the novel Around the World in Eighty Days)

The previous winners were:

• 1993-94 Bruno Peyron (France), yacht: Explorer, time: 79 days 6 hours 15 minutes 56 seconds
• 1994-95 Robin Knox-Johnston (U.K.)- Peter Blake (New Zealand), yacht: Enza, time: 74 days 22 hours 17 minutes 22 seconds
• 1997 Olivier De Kersauson (France), yacht: Sport Elec, time: 71 days 14 hours 22 minutes 8 seconds
• 2002 Bruno Peyron (France), yacht: Orange, time: 64 days 8 hours 37 minutes 24 seconds
• 2004 Olivier de Kersauson , on trimaran Geronimo, time: 63 days and 14 hours.
• 2005 Bruno Peyron (France), yacht: Orange II, time: 50 days 9 hours 32 minutes 45 seconds

All boats apart from Sport Elec and Geronimo, which was a trimaran, were catamarans.

From 2004-2005 Steve Fossett held the record for the circumnavigation: 58 days 9 hours 32 minutes 45 seconds. As he did not pay the fee to qualify for the Jules Verne Trophy, he wasn't awarded the prize, but his record was acknowledged by the World Sailing Speed Record Council.