Shortly before 04:00 GMT, Tuesday, Charles Caudrelier alerted his shore team to damage on the port foil of the Ultim 105ft foiling trimaran Maxi Edmond de Rothschild.
This major incident occurred as the skipper of Gitana Team was sailing downwind, some 400 miles north of the Azores, in heavy 3 metre seas and 20/25 knots of N’ly wind.
At the time, Gitana was lying in 4th place in the Ultim category of the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe fleet.
Gitana 18’s port foil was seriously damaged and the composite layers along the trailing edge of the foil shaft had been torn away, taking with them the hydraulic hoses connected to the foil.
Now the defending Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe champion has been forced to turn back and head for the team’s technical base in Lorient, some 1,500 miles away.
Other recent race incidents . . .
At around 06:00 hrs while sailing in 25 knots of wind and very rough seas, Fabien Delahaye (LEGALLAIS) injured his ankle while going to lower his spinnaker on the foredeck of his Class40.
Since then, he has been in contact with the race doctor and he has abandoned the race.
There was also sail damage aboard Sodebo Ultim 3, sail now fixed and rehoisted, and Thomas Colville is back in the race at third Ultim.
Meanwhile Anthony Marchand (Actual Ultim 4) is sheltering in Irish water after damaging his central rudder in a collision with an unidentified object. His team will assess repairs before deciding whether he can resume racing.