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It might be hard to believe, given the scale of disappointment felt yesterday but these images were taken just an hour after the team docked back into The Hague.
"The team is okay. It's been a tough afternoon but the most important thing is that everyone's okay," says Team CEO Mark Towill. "In my opinion, we've got one of the best tech teams in the world, so they're diagnosing exactly where we're at so we can make a plan."
When the going gets tough...
At this point in a leg, it would usually be the sailors who become increasingly sleep deprived. However, it won't come as a surprise that after the collision yesterday, it's our shore crew who have been the ones working all night.
Since this morning around 10am, the team are now working in shifts of 6 hours on, 6 hours off doing everything they can to sort the damage.
The Hague, The Netherlands
Friday, June 16, 2023
11th Hour Racing Team has officially retired from Leg 7 of The Ocean Race, unable to continue racing competitively following a huge collision, just 17 minutes after the start of the final leg in The Hague on Thursday, June 15.
The team has also submitted a Request for Redress to the World Sailing International Jury. This is a procedure under the Racing Rules of Sailing to compensate a boat when ‘a boat’s score or place in a race or series has been or may be, through no fault of her own, made significantly worse’.
Skipper, Charlie Enright (USA), said, “We are working around the clock to repair the boat as quickly as possible, and our intent is to sail to Genoa to rejoin the fleet and complete this lap around our blue planet. Everyone is obviously devastated - no one wants to finish a race like this - but spirits are high within the team, and everyone is focused on finishing this incredible race on a high note.”
While the five IMOCAs were racing in the inshore section immediately after the start, 11th Hour Racing Team were in second place, and they tacked on the layline of mark 4, approaching on a starboard tack. GUYOT environnement - Team Europe approached on port tack and were required to give way and, despite calls from Enright, didn’t alter course and collided into the side of the 60-foot race boat. No one on either boat was injured, but both vessels had extensive damage, requiring them to return back to The Hague.
Skipper of GUYOT, Benjamin Dutreux, immediately came to see the American team and, clearly devastated, offered his apologies to Enright. "I was helming, and I just saw their boat appear suddenly, and it was too late. The contact was unavoidable [at that point]. I take full responsibility. It is our fault." The Frenchman also offered his full team to support in any way they could.
Mark Towill, CEO of 11th Hour Racing Team said, “The support from The Ocean Race community here in The Hague has been tremendous, and we have had messages coming in from fans, partners, and supporters from around the world - it really has been overwhelming and felt by everyone here. We will continue to work 24/7 and are doing everything we can to have the boat and full team in Genoa for the Grande Finale.”
11th Hour Racing Team Crew for Leg 7, The Ocean Race 2022-23:
Charlie Enright (USA) - Skipper
Simon Fisher (GBR) - Navigator
Jack Bouttell (AUS/GBR) - Trimmer
Francesca Clapcich (ITA) - Trimmer
Amory Ross (USA) - Media Crew Member
Overall Leaderboard:
5 points = first; 4 points = second etc.
Note: Leg 3 and Leg 5 scored double points
1. 11th Hour Racing Team - 33 points (4+3+3+3+5+10+5)
2. Team Holcim - PRB - 31 points (5+5+5+4+8+4)
3. Team Malizia - 27 points (3+2+4+5+4+6+3)
4. Biotherm Racing - 19 points (2+4+2+2+3+2)
5. GUYOT environnement - Team Europe - 2 points (1+1+0+0+0+0+1)
* GUYOT penalized -1 point for exceeding the permitted number of sails
In-Port Race Leaderboard:
5 points = first; 4 points = second etc.
1. 11th Hour Racing Team - 24 points (4+4+5+4+3+4)
2. Team Malizia - 21 points (5+3+3+5+2+3)
3. Biotherm - 16 points (3+0+4+2+5+2)
4. Holcim-PRB - 15 points (0+5+2+3+4+1)
5. GUYOT environnement - team Europe 10 points (2+2+1+0+0+5)
The Ocean Race 2022-23 Route:
Leg 1: Alicante, Spain to Mindelo, Cabo Verde
Leg 2: Cabo Verde to Cape Town, South Africa
Leg 3: Cape Town, South Africa to Itaja?, Brazil
Leg 4: Itaja?, Brazil, to Newport, Rhode Island
Leg 5: Newport, Rhode Island to Aarhus, Denmark
Leg 6: Aarhus, Denmark to The Hague, The Netherlands (with a flyby past Kiel, Germany)
Leg 7: The Hague, The Netherlands to Genoa, Italy