During the circumnavigation of the world The Ocean Race, there was a second mast break. Team Guyot apparently survived the accident unscathed in the finale of the fourth stage from Brazil to Newport.
About 600 nautical miles (1111 kilometers) east of the port of destination, the rig failed in stormy winds from beyond 30 knots (56 kilometers per hour). The crew with French skipper Ben Dutreux and Berlin co-skipper Robert Stanjek remained uninjured, according to initial reports from the team on Tuesday morning.
After the mast break at the Swiss team Holcim-PRB on 27 April, it is already the second rig loss on this 5500 nautical mile (10,186 kilometre) section from the South to the North Atlantic.
"It's a bit scary"
The evening before, the storm had already set in at sea for the leaders 11th Hour Racing and Team Malizia led by German skipper Boris Herrmann. Amory Ross of the US team 11th Hour Racing had reported: "It's crazy out here. There's no question that it's conditions that can wreckage boats. To be honest, it's a bit scary."
When the pursuers Team Biotherm and the Guyot Environnement Team Europe later sailed into the storm, it had intensified, as Ross had predicted: "Next up are Biotherm and the Guyot Environnement Team Europe, who will probably be even worse off than us. The stage has saved the worst for last."
Further information on the accident has been announced by the organizers and Team Guyot for the course of the day. 11th Hour Racing continues to lead the stage by 33 nautical miles (61 kilometres) ahead of Team Malizia.