The exciting transatlantic Ocean Race stage starts on Sunday

With the eliminated Holcim–PRB back at the start, minimal points gaps between the front runners and a double-point crossover from the United States to Denmark, a thrilling leg of the Ocean Race is just around the corner.

Holcim–PRB ready on time

Holcim-PRB will, as it stands, appear at the start of the fifth leg of the Ocean Race on Sunday. A new mast was installed at IMOCA yesterday morning and the team still has time in the coming days to get all the rigging and sails back in tip-top shape. It was a race against time since the team suddenly lost the mast three weeks ago in calm weather.

While they were doing everything they could to get a new mast and IMOCA to Newport in time to sail the next all-important leg, the team also reckoned they wouldn’t be able to rejoin the race until Aarhus. However, they seem to have managed to miss only one stage.

Race mode on

Now that it looks like leader Holcim-PRB is back in the race, the next stage will be extra exciting. Holcim is now in first place with 19 points, but the numbers two and three, 11th Hour and Malizia, both have 18 points. The double points that can be earned in the next stage will therefore be fiercely contested.

Skipper Kevin Escoffier is looking forward to getting Team Holcim – PRB back into race mode for the all-important transatlantic leg these days: “It wasn’t easy staying in the race. It wasn’t easy to stay focused on performance until today,” says Escoffier. “The best way to do that is to get back into the routine: sports sessions with the team, weather briefings, etc. You have to get back in the race.”

Never give up

Escoffier also praised his wider team for their never give upmentality: “I especially like The Ocean Race because it is a race where the team spirit is very strong. At sea, of course, but also on land. Our technicians all reacted in an extremely positive way after the dismasting, with the only wish that we will be at the start next Sunday. Without them we could not have hoped to continue the race in the best possible conditions.”

Follow the Ocean Race in our live blog, where we share the latest and the best images. The live positions of the boats can be found in the tracker of The Ocean Race.

Images: (c) The Ocean Race

Tags: holcim-prb, The Ocean Race Last modified: May 19, 2023