Första dygnet i Volvo Ocean Race 2011 är ett av historiens tuffaste. “Vi har flytvästarna på och pumparna går för fullt. De vattentäta skotten verkar göra sitt jobb. Nu siktar vi mot land” Skriver skepparen Mike Sanderson.
Klockan 08.34 UTC rapporterade Team Sanyas navigatör Aksel Magdahl att de har en rejäl skada på sitt skrov.
Här får ni läsa skepparen Mike Sandersons egna ord, direkt från båten, om vad som hänt och vad som kommer att hända:
“So close to making it through the worst of the big breeze and then disaster struck. We were looking after the boat nicely when at approximately 9 am this morning while going upwind in 35 knots of wind, suddenly the boat went really bow down and immediately we knew it wasn’t good.
“Instantly we slowed the boat right down, got the remainder of the guys in there bunks into life jackets and then set about tacking over to head for shelter.
The watertight bulkhead is doing a great job, the pumps are running and we are nursing the boat with just a double reefed mainsail into port.
Right now we have no idea how major the damage is, we can however see a puncture wound on the port side and streams of carbon peeling off so it isn’t good. We are all safe though, as I write this we are just an hour from a safe harbour.
The guys are doing a fantastic job, all very positive and working incredibly hard even though you can see the bitter disappointment on all there faces.
Be under no illusion though, we will be back with vengeance.
I will let you all know as soon as we have checked our poor boat out in a few hours.”
Nu arbetar Team Sanyas landteam på en plan för att reparera båten och då den tillbaka i racet så snart som möjligt.