BT Global Challenge - Leg 4 Start

Save the Children and Quadstone Damaged in Port/Starbroad Incident during Start of Leg 4

Save the Children and Quadstone motored back into Wellington Harbour just 2 hours after the re-start of the BT Global Challenge having suffered damage in a port/starboard incident. Major Nick Fenton, the skipper of Save the Children, was taken to Wellington Hospital having suffered cuts to his head and damage to his shoulder while both yacht crews await the assessments on the extent of the damage.

With Quadstone on port tack converging on Save the Children on starboard, the yachts hit. Quadstone has suffered damage to her bow while Save the Children has received a large dent on the port side just aft of mid-ships. Major Nick Fenton said: 'We rounded the last mark in 10th place and then really started sailing fast. We overtook Quadstone who were lower, they tacked and it was touch and go whether they were going to get ahead of us. They realised they couldn't get ahead of us and their bear away was slow. I had the vision of the 40 tonne boat coming straight at you and it was a big collision. We called them up but with the strong breeze it was going to be hard to hear, that's why we have lookouts. When it was clear their bear-away wasn't going to be hard enough we started to go into a crash tack.'

Alex Philips, skipper of Quadstone said: 'We were on port tack, I tried to bear away, helm hard over but she just wouldn't go.'

Sir Chay Blyth, Chairman of race organisers Challenge Business said: 'They were racing hard and these things happen. On the face of it the damage could be worse, the boats are very strong and they'll soon be repaired but I'd be surprised if the damage is repaired within several days. We have contingency's for every situation, Nick's wife is with him at the hospital and his family are aware of the situation and we have put the reserve skipper on standby.'

Crews now await both the assessment of damage onboard and an assessment of Nick Fenton's medical condition before further plans can be made.

More Information:

• YachtsandYachting.com BT Global Challenge Page
• BT Challenge Website