The rumour had been floating around the Ocean Race community for some time, but now it's official: Team Holcim - PRB protests against 11th Hour Racing. The corresponding protest has been received by the International Jury. This was confirmed by the Ocean Race organisers in a press statement on Wednesday evening.
Two negotiations in a row to decide victory in the 14th Ocean Race
The piquant thing is that it is already the eve of the long-planned hearing of all teams on 11th Hour Racing's application for redress. All those involved have little time to prepare for this new protest, which is to be heard before the redress case. Andrés Pérez, Chairman of the International World Sailing Jury for the Ocean Race, has scheduled the hearing on the new protest for 29 June (Thursday) at 9.30 am. This means that it will take place immediately before the hearing on the previously scheduled "Request for Redress" at 10am.
The background to the request for redress and protest number two is the serious crash caused by Team Guyot with 11th Hour Racing's Imoca "Mālama" shortly after the start of the final leg in The Hague. In a classic port to starboard offence, "Guyot" helmsman Benjamin Dutreux and his navigator Sébastien Simon had not seen the American boat for too long.
German skippers speak out in favour of 11th Hour
"Guyot's bowsprit had pierced the rear port side of the hull right through to the inside of the boat. It was very lucky that no sailors were injured. "Guyot" owner and helmsman Ben Dutreux took "full responsibility" for the accident. Team Guyot as well as Boris Herrmann and Team Malizia expect to make amends. "We are third and 11th Hour Racing should win the race as far as we are concerned," said Boris Herrmann. "We hope that 11th Hour Racing will make amends," said "Guyot" co-skipper Robert Stanjek.
Both boats suffered severe damage in the collision. Both abandoned the leg, albeit for different reasons. While "Guyot" had thus finally retired from the sporting competition and the boat had already returned to its home port of Les Sables-d'Olonne, Charlie Enright's 11th Hour Racing team had at least been able to repair his "Mālama" to such an extent in a lightning repair in The Hague that the race crew originally planned for the leg could ferry it to the finish port of Genoa.
The Ocean Race rules forced 11th Hour to abandon the stage
11th Hour Racing had to officially abandon the leg because the rules of the Ocean Race do not allow any team to interrupt the race on the last leg of the event. As a result, the Americans were forced to withdraw from the race and sail outside the classification to Genoa. The Enright crew is not expected in Genoa until around midday on Thursday, sailing towards the venue of the decisions on Wednesday evening at about the height of Menorca.
Logic dictates that the Americans apply for compensation. After three stage wins in a row and as leaders after six stages with a two-point lead over Team Holcim - PRB, they were no longer able to fight on the water for the already tangible overall victory. The fact that Holcim - PRB now also wants to fight for overall victory at the green table with only three boats after finishing third on the final leg comes at short notice. The Ocean Race organisers have announced that the protest relates to Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) 14 and 16.1. In essence, it is about right of way and obligations to take evasive action.
A tiebreaker decision would win 11th Hour Racing
11th Hour Racing Team is only one point behind Team Holcim - PRB in the overall standings after all seven legs, but was unable to collect any points on leg seven. Should the jury award compensation of one point or more, the 11th Hour Racing Team would be the winner of the Ocean Race, as the Americans would win the tiebreaker on the better placing in the harbour race classification in the event of a tie. Here, Team Holcim - PRB (15 points) can no longer catch up with the leading team 11th Hour Racing (24 points) under any circumstances.
If no points are awarded in the judgement on the American request for redress, the current standings will take effect and Team Holcim - PRB would be the overall winner of the 14th The Ocean Race. As the outcome of the 11th Hour Racing hearing could affect the entire Imoca fleet, the International Jury has granted the teams the right to be present at the hearing to present all views and ask questions. This is to ensure the fairest possible ruling. This is the first time in the 50-year history of the Ocean Race that the overall winner will be decided at the green table.
Hearings, negotiations and decisions take place in the "Optimist" room
It is astonishing that the International Jury, which acts in accordance with Racing Rules of Sailing 60.3(b), is simultaneously considering compensation for Team Holcim - PRB, Team Malizia, Biotherm - and Guyot Environnement - Team Europe following the collision at the start of leg seven. The International Jury, confirmed by the World Sailing Federation, will decide on the application for compensation and the protest on Thursday, according to reports from Genoa.
The fact that the hearings and negotiations in Genoa are taking place in the "Optimist" room right next to the press centre is a hopeful little sign of a peaceful solution to the far-reaching case that has to be found by the jury. Spanish chairman Andrés Pérez, British vice-chairman Chris Atkins, Pauline Den Burger from the Netherlands, Line Juhl from Denmark, George Priol from France and Sofia Truchanowicz from Poland have the difficult task. One would like to wish them luck for a Solomonic judgement.
The momentous crash in the replay:
