The most important information is still pending 24 hours after the serious collision between "Guyot" and 11th Hour Racing's "Mālama" on 15 June: When will the jury hearing take place on the application for compensation submitted by 11th Hour Racing? And what will the verdict be that decides the overall result of the 14th The Ocean Race?
Team Holcim-PRB and Team Malizia are indirectly affected by the crash
Should the 11th Hour Racing team be awarded a classic redemption, they could finish two points ahead of the Swiss team Holcim - the first team in the standings. PRB would give the Americans an early overall victory at the green table. This would also mean that Team Holcim - PRB robbed of the chance to win and an indirect "victim" of the collision.
Boris Herrmann's Malizia team is also hit by the crash over the kerb. Albeit less severely. The Malizians still had a wafer-thin chance of moving up to second place in the overall standings before the current final leg. To do so, the German yacht would have had to win the final leg to Genoa and Team Holcim - PRB would have had to finish fifth. With only three boats left in the race, Team Malizia no longer has a chance of advancing.
We have lost two comrades. We miss our friends" (Boris Herrmann)
Nevertheless, Boris Herrmann's main focus at his Ocean Race premiere was on those involved in the crash: "We are incredibly sorry for both teams. And then, of course, we ask ourselves what the consequences will be for the race."
Boris Herrmann continued: "It really hits me hard. We have lost two comrades. We are all a bit speechless. We miss our friends." All Malizia crew members addressed personal words to the crews of 11th Hour Racing and Team Guyot in a video clip (see end of article). Rosalin Kuiper said: "It's a sad story that casts a bit of a dark shadow over the end of the race."
Everyone is devastated. Nobody wants to finish a race like that" (Charlie Enright)
Other decisions have been made in the meantime. Overnight, the 11th Hour Racing shore crew began repairing the rear port hull side, which was badly damaged in the collision, and repairing other damage.
"Mālamā" skipper Charlie Enright said: "We are working around the clock to repair the boat as quickly as possible. Our aim is to sail to Genoa to rejoin the fleet and complete this lap around our blue planet. Everyone is devastated, of course - nobody wants to finish a race like this. But the mood in the team is good. Everyone is now focussed on finishing this incredible race on a good note."
Unlucky skipper Ben Dutreux: "I take full responsibility. It was our mistake"
The evening before, there had already been emotional scenes on the water and ashore following the collision, in which it was lucky that no one was seriously injured, while at the same time the repair process and preparations for the application for compensation were initiated.
At the same time, the three remaining boats continued the leg. The sailing trio was separated by just six nautical miles with around 1,900 nautical miles to the finish harbour of Genoa on Friday evening: Team Holcim - PRB was just ahead of Team Biotherm and Team Malizia.
However, most of the eyes of the Ocean Race world are still on The Hague. There, Team Guyot took full blame for the collision. "I was at the helm and suddenly saw their boat appear. By then it was too late. The contact was unavoidable after I saw her. I take full responsibility. It was our mistake," admitted "Guyot" skipper Ben Dutreux on Thursday evening.
Tears and hugs
In a later "Guyot" statement it said: "Our thoughts are solely with 11th Hour Racing, the team leading this Ocean Race, the friendly team around skipper Charlie Enright, who made it possible for Guyot Environnement - Team Europe to return to the competition." The Americans had provided Team Guyot with their replacement mast for the comeback in leg six after the mast broke on leg four.
Many tears were shed in both team camps after the crash. The despair was great. But there were also heartfelt and comforting hugs. "We are devastated," said Guyot's Berlin team manager Jens Kuphal in The Hague. "It was like a car accident where you ask yourself afterwards how it could have happened. It's a gift, a miracle that nobody was seriously injured." Co-skipper Robert Stanjek spoke of a "blackout" by the afterguard. "You have to say that after this tour de force of the last few weeks, this team performance, it really, really hurts. It's really hard to take."
Sleepless in The Hague
When Stanjek couldn't get to sleep late on Thursday evening after the shocking events and climbed down the stairs to the lobby of his hotel, he met some of the 11th Hour Racing team in the bar and had several rounds of drinks. The Berlin "Guyot" co-skipper, who was not at the helm during the crash as so often before, but was cranking the grinder below deck, and the badly hit 11th Hour Racing team members sat together for many more hours ...
