Extreme 40 capsizes at iShares Cup in Kiel, Germany - Day 1
by iShares Cup media 29 Aug 2009 08:30 BST
27-30 August 2009
ECOVER capized between race 3 and 4 on day 1 of the iShares Cup round in Kiel © Th. Martinez / Sea&Co /
www.thmartinez.com
During Day 1 of racing today (28.08.09) in Kiel, the Ecover Extreme 40 capsized between races 3 and 4 during a front of 20 + knots. Crewman Bruno Dubois was taken ashore shortly after the capsize with a head injury. He was transferred to Universitaets Klinik Hospital for medical treatment. Bruno has been assessed by the medical team and has received treatment. Bruno received stitches and had a scan, he will be kept in overnight as a precautionary measure.
The Ecover Sailing Team have confirmed that the mast was broken. With the help of a diver, the mast was cut away from the overturned boat, after which the boat and mast were towed back to the iShares Cup pitlane where they were lifted out. The team are assessing the damage and will work towards getting back out on the water. It is not known whether it will be possible to race tomorrow (29.08.09), especially as the team are currently a crewman down.
From Mike: “He’s had a scan and is being kept in overnight as a precaution but otherwise he’s fine and he tells us he’s going to take up bowling so I think he’s well! It was a very quick capsize, the conditions had been very gusty and none of us were expecting to have a problem like that outside of the race course. We were between races and we had just boarded our guest and were heading back to the start area then a gust of pressure came in, fully downwind, both bows went in and we just pitchpoled very, very quickly. All of us were in the water – even the experienced Extreme 40 guys were amazed at how fast the boat rotated. When we came up from under the net we saw Bruno had a serious head injury and were pretty shocked. We’ll right the boat and we have a spare mast here so we will make an assessment of what’s here and try and get the boat back out on the race course. We’re here to be on the race course so we want to get the programme back on track”.
The Ecover’s first priority is for Bruno and the whole team at Ecover wish him a safe recovery and hope that he will be able to join the team on the water again soon.
General video footage from the day's racing is available here