Volvo Ocean Race: Mast breakage on Puma's "Mar Mostro"

The video of the mast breaking on the "Mar Mostro"

Just 17 days after the start of the first leg of the Volvo Ocean Race, only half of the fleet is still in the race. Following the cancellations of the Sanya and Abu Dhabi Racing teams, who have to bring their damaged boats to the stage port in Cape Town by freighter, the mast of Puma's "Mar Mostro" broke on Monday afternoon.

The rig broke down at around 4 p.m. German time in the southern Atlantic, around 2,150 nautical miles from Cape Town. The eleven-strong crew led by skipper Ken Read, including the only German participant Michael Müller from Kiel, remained unharmed.

"We were sailing in 22 knots of wind and three metre high waves when the mast broke into three pieces," Read reported from on board. "We have currently stopped the race and are considering our options. We are the saddest eleven people on the planet."

The Brazilian coastguard has been alerted and is on standby should the team require assistance. The trio still in the race is led by the Spanish "Telefonica" ahead of Team New Zealand on "Camper" and the "Groupama Sailing Team". The yachts are expected to arrive in Cape Town this weekend.

It is already the second mast failure of the race. Abu Dhabi Racing also suffered a major rig failure. The failure has automatic consequences. As the teams are only allowed to use two masts according to the regulations, Puma will not have a spare rig as soon as they start the next leg. The consequence: they can no longer sail at full risk because another breakage would mean the final end. So they have to be more conservative. A particularly bitter blow for the top favourite at this early stage of the world regatta.

Team Sanya skipper Mike Sanderson had only yesterday surmised in a race analysis of the first leg that with these boats you never know how close you really are to failure. "These teams have all done a lot of miles and pushed their boats very hard. I think they will be able to cope with the windy conditions(which are forecast for the coming days, ed.) fully on board. From the reports on board, the fleet is in good condition and no one has any weaknesses, so we're likely to see some big runs."

"Big runs" are likely, even if the really big pressure is now missing for the time being. The leading "Telefonica" is losing more of its shadow Puma astern with every position report. "Camper" is a good 100, Groupama 300 nautical miles behind.