Please select your home edition
Edition
Hyde Sails 2024 - One Design

Volvo Ocean Race- No Easter Break for GAC Pindar and Southern Spars

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com on 8 Apr 2015
The spare rig gets loaded aboard the Maersk Brani and will be freighted to Philadelphia on the east coast of the USA Southern Spars
Southern Spars received an urgent call on the Thursday before Easter, from Volvo Ocean Race HQ in Alicante, Spain, to get a spare mast on a ship that weekend.

Richard Thorpe of TNL GAC Pindar was immediately on the case, leading a logistical mission for the team at TNL GAC Pindar Ltd.

The spare Volvo Ocean 65 mast that has been stored in Auckland for the past few months, is now on the way to meet the boats in Newport. The spar has been loaded on the Maersk Brani and will be freighted to Philadelphia

The other spare mast is currently getting loaded onto a plane in the Middle East to meet Dongfeng Race Team in Itajai.

The spreaders for that mast left the factory in Auckland yesterday bound for Itajai

All going well, Dongfeng should be back on the startline at Itajai for the start of the In Port Race on April 18, and the start of Leg 6 the following day.


“Southern Spars are sending our Volvo Ocean Race Service Manager Lance Manson to Itajai for arrival over the weekend,' says Mark Hauser Director of Southern Spars.

'Lance will prepare the spare mast for Dongfeng with the Volvo Ocean Race Boatyard crew and ensure that the team re-joins the race in time for the start of Leg 6. With the spare mast already on the way, it will be the boats arrival in Itajai that could delay their progress.'

'It is still unknown what caused the breakage of the top mast, however together with Dongfeng, the Boatyard and Lance we will endeavor to find the problem and find a solution for the future.”

The same team has also sent a third, newly constructed rig from Auckland, ready for the rebuilt Team Vestas Wind when she rejoins the Race in Lisbon, Portugal.



Vetus-Maxwell 2021 v2 FOOTERAllen Dynamic 40 FooterSelden 2020 - FOOTER

Related Articles

Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup Day 2
Philip Köster triumphs again in Pozo Izquierdo The 37th edition of the Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup delivered a thrilling second day this Sunday, once again marked by strong winds and the talent of the world's best windsurfers.
Posted today at 8:47 pm
A perfect start to the 5th annual AEGEAN 600
Cloudless blue skies, crystal clear waters and perfect 12-15 knots of northerly wind At the very southern end of the Greek mainland at Cape Sounion in Attica, today's start to the 5th edition of the AEGEAN 600 was perfect: cloudless blue skies, crystal clear waters and perfect 12-15 knots of northerly wind.
Posted today at 8:39 pm
29er Europeans at Lake Garda day 4
One race, one storm, and one big lay day vibe With qualification wrapped and the fleet now split into six groups—Gold, Silver, Bronze, Emerald, Purple, and White—Day 4 of the 29er Europeans kicked off with early optimism and an earlier-than-usual launch in pursuit of the morning breeze.
Posted today at 7:09 pm
iQFOiL Worlds a Aarhus day 1
Full foiling conditions launch the World Championship with four high-intensity races for both fleets The iQFOiL World Championship kicked off today in Aarhus with dynamic and demanding conditions that truly tested the world's top foiling windsurfers. The wind was anything but steady, shifting in both direction and intensity throughout the day.
Posted today at 7:01 pm
Rolex TP52 Worlds in Cascais overall
American Magic Quantum Racing win Rolex TP52 Worlds after breezy week in Cascais. Doug DeVos' American Magic Quantum Racing crew were crowned 2025 Rolex TP52 World Champions today in Cascais, Portugal.
Posted today at 6:54 pm
Red Bull Sailing Academy Opens
A new hub for current and future superstars to reach the top of their sport Marina Monfalcone, North Italy, made waves yesterday, as sports superstars gathered to open the Red Bull Sailing Academy, marking the beginning of a new era in the sport.
Posted today at 12:53 pm
Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup Day 1
Philip Köster edges out Marcilio Browne in one of the closest finals ever Philip Köster edges out Marcilio Browne in one of the closest finals ever as Pozo delivers 50 knot winds and waves.
Posted today at 11:42 am
America's Cup: French give the Brits the "Hurry-up
Frustration builds between Cup factions over lack of progress with Protocol. Last weekend's missive from the French America's Cup challenge team is further evidence over the building frustration with progress towards the 2027 America's Cup in Naples.
Posted today at 11:12 am
The oldest video footage of Moth sailing
A look back into our video archive, to when the name of this class first settled down We delve into our video archive to find the oldest possible videos that show Moth racing. Are these International Moths, British Moths... or was the name still Olive, Inverloch 11ft, National Moth or Brent One-Design?!
Posted today at 11:00 am
GKSS Match Cup & Nordea Women's Trophy overall
It is the first time the Match Cup Sweden title has been won by a Danish Skipper Denmark's Jeppe Borch/ Team Borch Match Race, and France's Pauline Courtois/ Match in Pink by Normandy crowned the new champions of Marstrand in a day of fierce weather for the final of 2025 GKSS Match Cup Sweden and Nordea Women's Trophy in Marstrand.
Posted today at 7:14 am