Co-skippers Rodney Pattisson and Frances Joyon recorded a time of three hours, eight minutes and 29 seconds, shattering the old record by over 45 minutes.

One of the French vessel's co-skippers had been on board Paragon when it set the previous record in 1986.

Another record also fell when Mike Slade's giant super sloop, Skandia Leopard, was the first monohull over the finish line.

Her time of four hours, five minutes and 40 seconds broke the existing monohull race record of five hours, 12 minutes and three seconds by over an hour.

The Ultra 30 Reloaded Red Square - just one-third the size of Skandia Leopard - was the second monohull across the line (first in class) in four hours, 26 minutes and 22 seconds.

This year was only the third in the race's 65-year history that the Ultra 30 monohulls featured.

They are unique because they have no keel to prevent them from capsizing and the crew members use trapeze wires, skill and agility to keep the boat upright.

America's Cup interest

In their first ever regatta in a modern America's Cup Class yacht, Peter Harrison's GBR Challenge finished second in the monohull class.

Ironically the remaining GBR Challenge sailing team were part of the crew on the Skandia Leopard, which won the category.

Olympic rowing gold medallist Greg Searle was chosen as a grinder and said he enjoyed competing in his first ever sailing event.

"It felt really good to get the first race under my belt, although this was nothing like the races will be at the America's Cup.

In fact, the racing today was probably less intense than usual as we had to perform less manoeuvres than we do when we are match racing."

Over 15,000 people and 1,735 yachts - including four America's Cup yachts - lined up at the start of the 50-nautical-mile race around the coastline of the Isle of Wight.

There are 52 trophies at stake, including the coveted Gold Roman Bowl.