Team Malizia were on the verge of having to turn back to Cape Town on another dramatic day at The Ocean Race but crew member Will Harris completed an incredible repair of the boat’s mast on Thursday night.
Following GUYOT environnement-Team Europe’s decision to suspend racing, Malizia nearly followed in their footsteps when a 30cm crack was noticed at the top of the mast.
Ad One of the headsails was lost which may have caused the damage, although the team are not entirely sure. The Ocean Race'It’s not easy' — Dutreux explains decision to return to Cape Town, targets leg winsAN HOUR AGO Throughout Thursday, Harris was up and down the mast to repair it and the job was finally complete in the evening.
Skipper Boris Herrmann messaged the group called ‘Malizia at Sea’ stating: “Epic teamwork guys, thanks for all your support — now we can only cross our fingers and wait to see if it goes off well. “Big respect to Will, it takes so much courage to be up there for so many hours in the dark with 3 metre sea state.” The complicated fix involved laminating and grinding whilst at the top of a mast on a moving boat with a huge reliance on communication and strength in tricky conditions.