Chinese entrant Dongfeng Race Team was one of four boats in the Volvo Ocean Race fleet to keel over in the Southern Ocean on Tuesday as the fleet experienced its roughest conditions since the event started in October last year.
The all-women’s crew of Team SCA (Sweden), Dongfeng and MAPFRE (Spain) all suffered “Chinese gybes” — with the boats briefly tipped on their sides — during 12 hours of drama as they headed toward Cape Horn.
Another competitor, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, also endured a drama-filled night, reporting “a massive wipeout,” although it was not pitched on its side in the same way as the other three.
Photo: AFP
Miraculously, no injuries from any of the crews were reported, although the boats were assessing how much damage had been done in the incidents after they were returned upright.
Charles Caudrelier, the French skipper of Dongfeng, also gave a graphic description of the toppling of his boat.
“This will be a great and amusing story to share over a beer or to my grandchildren in a few years’ time — but last night it was hell,” Caudrelier wrote. “Laid flat on the water with the boat heeled at 90 degrees at 48 degrees south, with 40 knots of wind [75kph] and 5m seas is really not fun at all.”
MAPFRE’s Onboard Reporter Francisco Vignale described the scene on the Spanish boat.
“Due to a big wave, our boat was completely lying on its side. We were on deck and it was I who was closest to the water. Xabi [Fernandez] grabbed my jacket and helped me get out of this terrible situation,” he wrote in a message to shore. “Inside the boat, the situation was not very good either. The members of the crew who were sleeping were crushed between the berth and deck.”
“For a while, it was real mayhem, but fortunately none of the sailors were hurt. All four boats were later able to return to sailing through the most treacherous waves encountered since the six-strong fleet set off in Alicante last October,” a Volvo Ocean Race spokesman said.
They have now covered more than 2,000 nautical miles (3,700km) of the 6,776 nautical mile fifth leg. Team Brunel (Netherlands), which avoided any major problems, led by 11.1 nautical miles from overall race leaders Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing.
Team Alvimedica (Turkey/US), another boat to stay upright throughout, were third, 28.8 nautical miles adrift of Brunel, with MAPFRE, Dongfeng Race Team and Team SCA trailing them.
The boats are still expected to arrive in their leg five destination, Itajam, Brazil, on about April 4, having left Auckland, New Zealand, on March 18.
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