After a sailing time of just 5 days, 11 hours, 1 minute and 29 seconds, leg one was won by the Swiss team Holcim - PRB. The crew led by French skipper Kevin Escoffier had fought an intense duel with Charlie Enright's US team 11th Hour Racing during the opening leg of the 14th The Ocean Race.
Attacked, overtaken, won
A preliminary decision was made when both teams sailed a zigzag course along the Spanish coast on the second day of the leg and the following night. They had to battle against a strong westerly wind, which had already caused some damage to Holcim - PRB. Then the 11th Hour Racing team reported a torn headsail, which had to be salvaged and replaced. During this slowed phase, the Escoffier quartet passed and then controlled the stage.
The bright green bow nose of the "Holcim - PRB" was the first to cross the Atlantic after passing through the Strait of Gibraltar. It stayed that way until the finish off Mindelo in Cape Verde. Kevin Escoffier, Sam Goodchild, Tom Laperche and Abby Ehler confidently brought an initially small lead to the finish line under the watchful eye of on-board reporter Julien Champolion.
Kevin Escoffier: "All repairs have held"
After the worrying first few hours in the Mediterranean, in which the team had to contend with some damage to their boat, this was a masterful performance. "All the repairs we made held," said Escoffier happily. Although his team had to thoroughly check the boat "and especially the fittings" in the harbour, "it's nothing serious."
The 11th Hour Racing Team sailed into second place behind Team Holcim - PRB. The boat flying the American flag reached the finish line almost three hours later at 5.50 a.m. German time. Boris Herrmann and Team Malizia were expected to be the third team on the podium on the opening Saturday of boot Düsseldorf in the finish port of Mindelo on Cape Verde, some 4,750 kilometres away.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
