Just two minutes after the start, the Ocean Race Europe in front of Kiel had a serious collision.
The yachts of the teams Holcim PrB (Switzerland) and Allagrand Mapei Racing (Italy) crashed into each other as they sailed side by side. Both boats were significantly damaged and immediately returned to the port, the crew members are said to have remained intact.
In the fuselage of the Holcim-PRB, a crack gaped after the incident, and the Mapei team was affected by the Mapei team. “It’s so disappointing,” said Italian Mapei skipper Ambrosio Beccaria.
A total of seven yachts started in the second edition of the race in the first stage from Kiel to Portsmouth, including the Malizia team with the German Skipper Boris Herrmann (Hamburg).
It goes over 8300 kilometers from Kiel via Portsmouth/England, Cartagena/Spain, Nice/France and Genoa/Italy in the Bay of Kotor/Montenegro. The sailing is made with IMOCA inaugurated boats, which are also used in the Vendée Globe globe.