The Volvo Ocean Race is a big money around the world race, with corporate or state sponsored teams, racing with professional crews on Open 70 sailboats. With that much money, expertise and hardware, what could go wrong? Quite a lot actually.
Two of a fleet of six boats, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing‘s Azzam and China’s Team Sanya, dropped out within the first 24 hours of the first leg of the race with rigging or hull failures. Puma’s Mar Mostro would later also lose her rig. In all, half the Volvo fleet traveled to the start of the second leg of the race as deck cargo on ships. Azzam and Mar Mostro were given new rigs in Cape Town and Team Sanya’s boat had a damaged bow replaced. Yesterday, while in the lead on the second leg of the race, the crew of Team Sanya noticed a problem with their rigging. They avoided losing the mast but pulled out of the race and sailed for the closest port in Southern Madagascar. They have officially suspended racing until parts arrive and repairs can be made but have not pulled out of the second leg yet.