Victory was the first AC team to set off on training trips off Trapani in Sicily. Now the crew were hit hard: when the travel lift set off to crane the cupper into the water, the rig was still secured with halyards. The carbon mast broke when it started up!
Miraculously, nobody was injured in the accident. The other damage was also limited. The mast, which costs around 400,000 euros, fell on its side and damaged several containers belonging to the neighbouring Luna Rossa syndicate.
Apparently Shore Crew and Travellift drivers had communication problems in the noise of the preparations for the acts starting next week. Warnings were reportedly not received, so the traps were not released in time.
All teams secure their boats and rigs ashore after a squall in Marseille tore several cuppers from their moorings a year ago.
Victory hopes to get her boat with the sail mark SWE-63 back on the water in time for the upcoming regattas. However, the performance will probably suffer because the best sails were adapted to the now broken mast.
Jochen Rieker
Herausgeber YACHT
