A crash, a shock, a repair night shift and waiting for the jury: At the Ocean Race, 11th Hour Racing is fighting for a return to the race and overall victory after the collision with Team Guyot.
The day after the serious Ocean Race collision off The Hague, shock and horror continued to prevail in the Dutch port of call. At the same time, repair work and the jury process have been started. The last stage of the circumnavigation will initially be continued with only three instead of five boats. It is still unclear whether the 11th Hour Racing, which leads the overall standings, will be able to compete again.
Guyot bored into the malamā
Shortly after the start of the last stage in the destination port of Genoa, the Guyot team with French skipper Benjamin Dutreux caused a serious crash with the US team 11th Hour Racing.
While no sailors were injured, the American yacht Malamā in particular was massively damaged when the pointed bowsprit of the black guyot drilled into the rear port side of Malamā’s hull and penetrated the interior of the US boat. Cameras on board recorded the scene.
“I take full responsibility.”
— Guyot skipper Benjamin Dutreux
“I was at the helm and I saw her boat suddenly appear. It was too late by then. Contact was inevitable after I saw her. I take full responsibility. It was our mistake,” said Dutreux.
A later Guyot statement said: “Our thoughts are exclusively with 11th Hour Racing, the team leading this ocean race, the friendly team around skipper Charlie Enright, who made it possible for Guyot Environnement – Team Europe to win the return to competition.”
The Americans had provided Team Guyot with their replacement mast for the comeback in stage six after a mast break on stage four.
“It was like a car accident.”
— Guyot team manager Jens Kuphal
Many tears flowed in both team camps after the crash, but there were also hugs. “We are devastated,” said Guyot’s Berlin team manager Jens Kuphal in The Hague. “It was like a car accident. It’s a gift that no one was seriously injured.”
How will the jury decide now?
Above all, the ocean race teams and the organizers on land are waiting for the jury’s decision on the protest submitted by 11th Hour Racing. It will have a decisive impact on the overall result of the 14th Ocean Race.
Overall standings in the Ocean Race
1. 11th Hour Racing – 33 points
2. Team Holcim – 31 points
3. Team Malizia – 27 points
4. Biotherm Racing – 19 points
5. GUYOT environment – Team Europe – 2 points
Should the 11th Hour Racing team be awarded a classic reparation, the Americans, who are two points ahead of the Swiss team Holcim – PRB, could secure overall victory early on at the green table. This would rob Holcim of the chance to overtake 11th Hour Racing on the water.
Before the last stage, the Malizia – Seaexplorer team with Hamburg skipper Boris Herrmann had a slim chance of moving up to second place in the overall classification. The German yacht should have won the stage and Team Holcim – PRB should have finished fifth.
With currently only three boats in the ongoing race, there is no longer a chance for Team Malizia to make the final advance. “We’re incredibly sorry for both teams. Of course we’re wondering what the consequences will be for the race,” said Herrmann.
The final leg to Genoa is not very long at 2,200 nautical miles, but it also has tricky passages with some restricted zones in the English Channel and the narrow Strait of Gibraltar. There is also an extended orca risk zone off Gibraltar, where whale attacks have increased in the past. The arrival of the Imocas in Genoa is expected on June 25th.
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NDR 2 Sports | 06/16/2023 | 11:03 p.m
