groupama breaks mast
Groupama 4 dismasts 650 miles from the finish in Itajai. This picture pretty much says it all, doesn’t it?
It was at around 1500 UTC today that Franck Cammas announced to his shore crew that Groupama 4 had dismasted 60 miles offshore of the coast of Uruguay, whilst leading the fifth leg of the Volvo Ocean Race.
When the incident happened, Groupama 4 was sailing upwind on port tack in a northerly wind of around twenty knots.
The mast broke level with the first spreader (around ten metres above the deck).
When the spar fell, bowman Brad Marsh suffered a slight injury to his forearm.
Franck Cammas indicated that he wasn’t requesting assistance and that he’d temporarily suspended racing.
Two options are being studied:
- To continue the race under jury rig towards Itajai, the finish venue, some 650 nautical miles ahead.
- To make for Punta del Este, wait for the new mast (stored in Rotterdam), rig it and then head back into the race from the point where they suspended racing (at 1500 UTC) to make for Itajai.
Thread here. Video here. Photos Yann Riou/Groupama Sailing Team/Volvo Ocean Race.
