Team Malizia back at full speed in The Ocean Race Atlantic after assessing & solving technical issue

Justine Mettraux working on deck - The Ocean Race Atlantique © Gauthier Lebec / Team Malizia

This Saturday morning at approximately 04:30 UTC, while racing at night at around 25 knots in 16 knots of wind at approximately 40°N, 54°W in the North Atlantic on Day 3 of The Ocean Race Atlantic, Team Malizia's crew, skippered by Boris Herrmann, informed its shore team that an impact to the port foil of Malizia 4 likely involving a small marine mammal or large fish had resulted in a technical issue with the foil ram.

All crew members are safe, and there seems to be no structural damage to either the foil or the yacht. The crew had stopped the boat to assess the situation and determine whether a full, potentially long and complex repair was required or whether a temporary fix could be carried out on board.

The crew has now managed to find a solution and has successfully secured the foil ram in place. Two fasteners were installed from the sail locker side to lock the ram in position, and the ram was additionally lashed to prevent any movement. The foil is safely resting on its bumpers and is no longer moving.

While saddened by the encounter, both the crew on board and the shore team are relieved to have found a solution allowing Malizia 4 to race at full speed again. They will carry out additional checks in daylight to confirm the structural condition of the foil and will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Team Malizia's A Race We Must Win - Climate Action Now! mission which combines sailing, science, education and partnerships is only possible due to the strong and long-lasting commitment from its six main partners: KPMG Germany, the Yacht Club de Monaco, EFG International, Zurich Group Germany, Hapag-Lloyd, and Schütz. These partners band behind Team Malizia to support its campaign, each of them working towards projects in their own field to innovate around climate solutions.