Alex Thomsen har kullseilt
Velux5oceans seileren fra England har fått store problemer med kjølen og båten har gått rundt. Det står bra til med seileren.
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Problemene startet ved 03.30 GMT i dag tidlig. Båten seile i 18 knop fart i 30 knopsvind da kjølen fikk strukturelle skader og båten gikk rundt. Kojiro Shiraishi (JPN) ombord i Spirit of Yuko som lå som nummer fire i feltet er på vei for å bistå Alex.
Thomsen er en av favorittene og lå rett bak Mike Golding, bare en nautisk mil da problemene oppstod. Disse to båtene hadde spist seg innpå Stamm som har hatt en overlegen ledelse etter at han klarte seg uten skader i orkanen som rammet deltagerbåtene rett eter start.
Thomsen ligger ca 1000 n.mil syd for Cape Town.
Thomson forteller:
"I was in my bunk grabbing a quick power kip when I was suddenly thrown across the cabin as the boat broached. I ran up on deck and went to ease the mainsail but nothing happened. I then went to try and cant the keel, but again nothing happened.
By this stage the boat was leaning right over on its side with the spreaders in the water, so I went back down below to look inside the keel box. The section which attaches the rams to the keel had completely snapped off and the keel was swinging freely. I went back up on deck with the boat still on its side. I took all of the sails down and finally the boat righted itself."
"I can't believe it, I am absolutely gutted. I have learnt so much already in this race about how hard to push the boat and when to hold back, in order to maintain the right balance between speed and safety. To have a problem with my keel at this critical stage in the race, something which I have no control over, is absolutely devastating."
Det store spørsmålet er nå hva som vil kje med båten. Det er lite trolig at Thomsen kan fortsette regattaen.
