Volvo Ocean Race 2017-2018 senza pace

Ultim’ora: Vestas 11th Hour Racing, ha disalberato, l’equipaggio sano e salvo. Tagliato l'albero rotto per evitare danni allo scafo. Il team fa rotta verso le Falkland a motore. Flotta falcidiata. Tappa pesantissima

Vestas senza pace, ancora lei, ancora un incidente, stavolta si è rotto l'albero, con 25 nodi di vento. Con Skallywag che fa mestamente prua verso il Cile e Mapfre ripartito a fatica dopo il pit-stop cileno, adesso questo ritiro. La flotta della VOR è decimata, ci vorrà tempo per recuperare morale, forze e barche per la tappa numero 8 diretta negli USA.

Vestas 11th Hour Racing ha disalberato durante la settima tappa della Volvo Ocean Race L’equipaggio è sano e salvo e non c’è pericolo per gli uomini. Il team ha informato che l’albero si è rotto alle ore 15.59 UTC (poco prima delle 18 in Italia) e dia vere informato il Race Control di Alicante della situazione alle ore 16.15 UTC (le 18.15 italiane) di venerdì. L’equipaggio ha dovuto tagliare l’albero per evitare di danneggiare lo scafo.

La barca si trova a circa 100 miglia a sud-est delle Isole Falkland dove alle ore 21 stava dirigendosi a motore. Nel momento del disalberamento, Vestas 11th Hour Racing stava navigando con 25/230 nodi di vento da nord con onde di circa 3 metri di altezza. Le altre barche sono in zona e sono state informate della situazione per portare assistenza, in caso si rendesse necessario. I

l Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (Centro di Coordinamento del Soccorso Marittimo) è stato informato della situazione ma il team ha detto di non aver bisogno di assistenza esterna per raggiungere le Isole Falkland.

I PRIMI RESOCONTI DA BORDO DI VESTAS SULL'ACCADUTO

Charlie Enright (USA): I was in my bunk. We healed over the wrong way pretty violently. There was a pretty big bang. Immediately in my head, I kinda known what had happened. Bombing along at 30 knots, double head reaching next to DongFeng. That was one second, then the next second we weren't. Everyone stayed calm, cool, and collected and we were able to get that thing over the side. That was the diciest part. But now we are about 100 miles from the Falklands so we will motor to there and re-assess. 

Simon Fisher (GBR): Yea. We were reaching at about 75 True Wind Angle in about 30 knots of breeze. I was driving at the time. Then there was a big bang and the rig broke just above the first spreader. It was quite a bang. All of the instruments jumped out of the bracket, the radar exploded, the camera in the front of the rig exploded. The top of the mast landed in the water with the stump sticking up. Since then, we have made sure we look after the boat, protect the integrity of the hull, we have had to cut everything away. And that is all away safely. Glad to say everyone is safe. Everyone is healthy, no one was injured in the rig coming down, and the boat seems to be good. So now we are just getting everything squared away and we are going to start motoring towards the Falklands. 

Tony Mutter (NZL): This is my third rig down in 6 races. Lost the rig with ACB in the 01-02 race at Point Neptune about as far away from land as you can get. That was not a very nice experience. Then with Puma in the 11-12 race. Dropped the rig in the first leg. Ended up on an island, Tristan de Cahuna, in the South Atlantic. Now we are going to be in South Atlantic again in a place called the Falklands. Don't know what to say. Unbelievable.

Stacey Jackson (AUS): It's a challenge. The whole thing is a challenge. Whether you are racing the weather or the elements or the setbacks like this. I think they just tells the story that this race about is about overcoming the difficulties. We can't really overcome this one now but we can make a plan to go forward and try our hardest to keep in the race.