Holcim – PRB reviews options after losing mast on Stage Four of Ocean Race Itajai to Newport. The Swiss team even hopes that they can possibly resume the fourth stage. An extremely ambitious undertaking.
“One second you still think everything is perfect. The next second it’s a nightmare,” said Holcim skipper Kevin Escoffier of the events. On Thursday morning at 7 a.m. German time, the mast of the Holcim – PRB broke about 20 miles off the Brazilian coast in moderate winds and moderate sea conditions. “It was a mechanical error, the mast fell down,” said the Frenchman.
The Swiss team was leading the fourth leg of the circumnavigation at the time of the accident, then turned around and set course for Brazil. “That’s life. We are now working on an auxiliary rig to get back to port and then be able to race again as soon as possible. The team is working hard to find a solution,” said Escoffier. Also on board the overall leader are Fabien Delahaye, Benjamin Schwartz, Dutchwoman Annemieke Bes and onboard reporter Georgia Schofield.
The Holcim team is reviewing all options – and even hoping to get a replacement mast to Brazil in time to possibly resume stage four. Finishing last, it would secure at least a point and then be able to get back in full swing at Newport on the transatlantic leg. “When we get to Newport the start is May 21st and when we get there we’re still going to be leading the ocean race so we’re working hard to make that happen,” Escoffier said. In the overall standings, Holcim is comfortably ahead of second-placed team Malizia (14) with 19 points.
The replacement mast is located in Lorient, France
However, the loss of the rig poses a logistical challenge for the Swiss team, because the replacement mast and the associated technology are located at the manufacturer in Lorient on the French Atlantic coast. “For these cases, the Imoca class has reserved a mast in Lorient, which will be made available to the first team to break the mast,” explained Susann Beucke to NDR. The woman from Kiel was a crew member on board Holcim on the second leg from Cape Verde to Cape Town and celebrated the stage victory.
Becky is keeping his fingers crossed
The fourth stage, on which 11th Hour Racing has now taken the lead, takes the field over 5,500 nautical miles from Itajai/Brazil to the American sailing Mecca of Newport. Arrival is expected around May 10th, the fifth stage to Aarhus starts on May 21st. Time is of the essence, because the section to Denmark is counted twice. If Holcim doesn’t make it to the starting line in time, you could end up missing up to 15 points. Five for the section to Newport and another ten for the section to Aarhus.
“All in all, it’s a super meltdown for the team and of course a total shame because the hard-earned points advantage is melting away. I really hope that they manage to be ready for stage five again,” said Beucke.
Boris Herrmann wants to help
Malizia skipper Boris Herrmann, who is currently taking a break and spending time with his family in Hamburg, contacted Escoffier in the morning and offered support. “The options now are to transport the boat on by cargo ship or to bring a mast to Brazil by express freight,” said Herrmann. He “established some cross-connections right away, because we have Kuehne & Nagel as a partner who can transport something like this”.
Holcim needs logistical masterpiece
Beucke declined. “Sea freight takes a long time, air freight is super expensive.” Either way, the team is facing “a logistical masterpiece”. The news in the morning was “a total shock” – and also a surprise. “It was so unexpected, especially in leg 4. There was talk of it being a very tactical race because you can expect rather light winds. That’s why I didn’t expect any material damage in this leg,” said the 31-year-old to the NDR. But she was “mainly happy that the team is doing well and that nothing happened to anyone. That’s the main thing”.
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Sports current | 04/27/2023 | 09:17 am
