The Ocean Race: Team Malizia in a three-way battle, Guyot comeback in sight
Tatjana Pokorny
· 10.03.2023
There is plenty of good news at the end of the second week of the "monster stage": Tension is mounting at sea in the battle for the first points. Almost bow to bow, Team Biotherm, the US team 11th Hour Racing and Team Malizia are fighting for the best positions behind the front runner "Holcim - PRB".
The leading team around skipper Kevin Escoffier will find it difficult to take the half-time victory on the Ocean Race King's Stage, although the field is closing in mile by mile. It is true that the lead of the dominators has now melted to less than 120 nautical miles. But there are still "only" around 1,340 nautical miles to the important first scoring gate.
The first set of points beckons on the doubly scored royal stage
Half of the points for this marathon stage will be awarded at the imaginary halfway finish line. The second points packages of the double scoring stage along the three large capes will be distributed in the Brazilian finish harbour of Itajaì. In the cut-throat race to the classification gate, Team Malizia decided to dive deeper into the south on the twelfth day of the stage. Less than 25 nautical miles separated the trio of "Biotherm", "Mālama" and "Malizia - Seaexplorer", who were dancing hotly together in the Southern Ocean.
The Imocas were travelling at top speeds of more than 25 knots. The teams are benefiting from fresher winds of 20 knots and more in moderate swell. The miles are now gliding along quickly under their keels. The interim destination at 143 degrees longitude east off Tasmania could be reached as early as Monday. "We are just at the end of the Indian Ocean and will soon be sailing under Cape Leeuwin," reported "Biotherm" skipper Paul Meilhat, whose French team continued to defend second place.
Discovered during routine check: crack in the starboard rudder of "Mālama"
What all followers of "Holcim - PRB" know: Catching up with good winds is one thing, overtaking is another. If the chasers really do get within striking distance by the time they reach the scoring gate, Team Holcim - PRB will not be able to cover three competitors at the same time. Charlie Enright and his 11th Hour Racing Team are on the hunt in this exciting final phase of the first half with their obviously well-functioning spare rudder.
The team has published a video describing the situation as it developed at the beginning of the week: Justine Mettraux discovered a crack on the leading and trailing edge of the starboard rudder during a routine check.
Click here for the video of the starboard rudder replacement operation on board the "Mālama":
Quick repair in Cape Town: "Guyot" almost ready for use again
The repair of the eight-year-old Imoca from Guyot Environnement - Team Europe can be completed faster than expected. After opening the hull at the delaminated area, no further damage was discovered. The team made surprisingly rapid progress with the work on the improvised construction site in Cape Town. The yacht can already be painted today. The transfer to Itajaí is planned for Thursday next week (16 March) in order to arrive in the Brazilian stage port as early as possible before the start of the fourth Ocean Race leg on 23 April.
"The repairs have progressed very well. The team has done a very good, fast and solid job. The laminating work was completed on Thursday. A few finishing touches are now being carried out and the laminated area will be in good condition again. Then the painters can start their work," reported "Guyot" skipper Benjamin Dutreux.
The "optimistic plan" worked
From Monday, Team Guyot will start to crane the yacht back into the water, set the mast and prepare the boat for transport. "We had an optimistic and a pessimistic plan for the repair work. Everything went according to the optimistic plan. I'm very proud of the whole team and can't wait to get to Itajaí and get back into the race," said Dutreux. He was relieved to hear that there were no further nasty surprises when the hull was opened.
Dutreux was correspondingly happy: "Very cool! The damage is limited to the area revealed by the NDT examination. We removed the Nomex honeycomb material, replaced it with foam and laminated the area with five layers of carbon fibre. The yacht was also reinforced on the inside." Non-destructive testing of industrial plastic foams is known as NDT testing. The English term behind the abbreviation: non-destructive testing (NDT).
The crew for the "Guyot" crossing from Cape Town to Itajaí consists of Sébastien Simon and Phillip Kasüske from Berlin from the sailing team, Jimmy le Baut and Clovis Gautier from the technical team and on-board reporter Charles Drapeau.
Today we are also introducing a strong Ocean Race performer in more detail: Rosalin Kuiper, one of the heroines of the mast repair, in conversation with Team Malizia's on-board reporter Antoine Auriol:
To dream away with the title "Nothing but the Stars" by Luca Francini, these impressive sail pictures by Paul Meilhat's "Biotherm":
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
