Crew member Rosemary Gardener with some of the difficulties they encountered

In a depressing sporting week for the nation, the British power boat, Cable and Wireless Adventurer, has broken the world record for circumnavigating the globe.

And it is the first boat trip around the world in less than the 80 days of Jules Verne's classic novel.

Champagne all round for the crew

The vessel, which cost more than £2m to build, reached Gibraltar at 1100 GMT on Friday - 74 days, 20 hours and 58 minutes after leaving the British colony.

This figure was eight days quicker than the old record held by the U.S. ship Triton since 1960.

A spokeswoman for the attempt said the crew were celebrating in traditional nautical fashion.

She said: "Some dived in the water when they finally got home - others were pushed."

Captain Ian Bosworth and Project Leader Jock Wishart celebrate

Back on dry land, project leader Jock Wishart, 46, announced: "I'm mentally drained but this has been an amazing achievement."

The 14-strong crew, aged between 22 and 60, had to do running repairs to the vessel during the voyage as well as coping with high temperatures and bad weather.

They visited 13 ports in 11 countries - including Hong Kong, Honolulu, Kingston in Jamaica and New York.

Mr Wishart, from Kingston-upon-Thames, in south London, said: "We had four or five difficult moments but everyone got on well. There were no rows at all.

"I'm thrilled that Britain has this record as well as the world landspeed record."

The youngest crew member was Sarah Aynesworth, 22, a Bristol University student from Yorkshire, whose previous sea experience extended to a rowing boat.

Men overboard! The crew celebrate in traditional maritime fashion

The oldest were Bill Mackay, from Glasgow, and Alan Goodwin, a grandfather and company director from Hayling Island, Hampshire.

The Adventurer was designed by Nigel Irens, one of the world's leading multihull engineers.

He based it on a 19th century concept invented by Newcastle marine engineer Sir Charles Parsons.

Sir Charles used the design to create the Turbinia which achieved a speed of 34.5 knots when it successfully gatecrashed Queen Victoria's 1897 Diamond Jubilee Review of the Fleet at Spithead.