Extreme Sailing Series: Groupama Crash - Cowes Week 2010

Groupama is left with no steerage after a collision, and heads straight for the sea wall on day two of the Extreme Sailing Series at Cowes Week.

In race 11 (the fourth inshore race), approaching the windward mark, Yann Guichard's Groupe Edmond de Rothschild hit Franck Cammas' Groupama 40 wiping out both rudders, leaving Groupama with no steerage whatsoever.

Groupama 40 were heading straight for the shore at speed and for safety the crew leapt into the water to avoid the impact of hitting the sea wall - deciding they would prefer getting wet than being thrown forward on the boat and potentially injuring themselves.

For the latest international yacht racing news, go to yachtingworld.com

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• extreme 40
• Cowes Week 2010
• groupama
• crash
• collision
• hit
• day two
• accident
• impact
• smash
• collide
• knock
• wreck

[MegaBunky]

lol that old guy with the binoculars

[sailing314]

Looks like a breach of rule 12 OR 11, 15 and 16 (of course 14 goes without saying).

[wightnproud]

lol Hope they managed to get their insurance claim for repairs processed quicker than they do for my car...3 months and still waiting! Drive safe!!

[piwero]

@stdxw21 Thanks !! good winds

[tiopirata2]

@stdxw21 Point taken, and easy system to use. So they don't have a hydraulic dump either?

[stdxw21]

@piwero Groupama looked ok, I'd say Rothschild we're give way boat.

[stdxw21]

@tiopirata2 They have a hydraulic ram on the boom on a 1:1 mainsheet, then they just have the traveller to ease the main, jib is self tacker, so you can't just dump sheets!

[tiopirata2]

Why did these guys not just dump the sheets and depower? They look to have had the time and space to do this.

[piwero]

who had a preference?