Rio 2016 - Franck Cammas injury expected to end Olympic campaign

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com NZL on 2 Dec 2015 French newspaper Ouest-France reports that Groupama Team France skipper, Franck Cammas who injured his right leg during training in foiling GC32 catamarans, is expected to miss the 2016 Olympics as a result of the injury.

As reported previously Franck Cammas had orthopedic surgery in Nantes on Monday night local time, after suffering a double fracture of his lower leg. Ouest-France reports that despite the seriousness of the injury that the long term prognosis is reassuring.

Cammas was was seriously injured Monday after falling overboard during training. His leg had hit one of the rudders the boat suffered a double fracture tibia and fibula. Earlier reports had it that his foot was almost severed at the ankle.

But after the surgery Vincent Borde, communication officer of the challenge Groupama Team France, said that 'the conclusions of the doctors after the operation are positive. At one point it was feared he lost the use of his foot. It has a double tibia and fibula fracture but the nerves and ligaments are not affected. This is good news '.

Cammas (42) will remain immobilised for two weeks and is expected to require three to four months of rehabilitation. This period of recuperation is expected to preclude Camas taking part in the Nacra 17 Mixed Multihull at the 2016 Olympics which get underway in early August.

The Groupama Team France America's Cup program should be largely unaffected, with maybe only one regatta of the America's Cup World Series, which usually consist only of one day of racing.

The Team and the French media say that the rehabilitation period not begin until January with French Olympic selection taking place in February. Billy Besson and Marie Riou are ranked third on the latest ISAF rankings for the Nacra 17 class with Cammas and crew Sophie de Turckheim are ranked seventh.

Further details of the incident, which occurred while match racing two GC32 foiling catamarans were revealed in a statement issued by Groupama Team France said that the incident occurred when the GC32 accelerated onto her foils at a speed of around 25kts. Cammas became momentarily unbalanced and fell off the GC32, striking his lower leg on the rudder above the bottom foil/appendage. The speed of the boat coupled with the slim sharp foil caused a deep wound.

The incident took place on the Bay of Quiberon, Port Haliguen. Weather conditions were described as ideal with a westerly wind of 17 to 18 knots and flat seas - protected by the Quiberon Peninsula . Cammas was opposing the New Zealander Adam Minoprio, a former World Match Racing Champion, who has recently joined the team from the moth-balled Italian America's Cup team, Luna Rossa.

The Groupama Team France website reports that immediately after the incident one of the crew of Groupama Team France seized the helm of the boat to avoid capsizing. At that moment, the coach and top French match racer and America's Cup skipper, Bertrand Pacé who was in a coach boat came to the aid of Cammas, who was taken on board, and emergency services alerted.

Thirty minutes after his arrival ashore, Cammas was transferred to Nantes by helicopter to take advantage of the best trauma care availbel in the region. After an operation that evening which lasted for several hours Franck Cammas was reassured by doctors that he will not lose the use of his foot. Aklso, his arteries, nerves and tendons are not affected.

Cammas is expected to take rest for a month to allow the surgery to heal and will then start a long period of rehabilitation in Lorient and returning to competition in mid-2016, or earlier depending on progress that is able to be made in the rehab process.

Thierry Martel, Groupama, Franck Cammas partner since 1998 commented on the Groupama Team France:

'We are first of all extremely relieved that Franck will not lose the use of his right foot. The coming months may be sometimes difficult to live for a sailor who sails almost 320 days a year. But we are confident that Franck will meet this challenge with the fighting spirit that is his own. He can count on our continued support. Between Franck and Groupama a relationship of trust has been established, consisting of eighteen years of partnership. We will be faithful to him as he has always been with us and we are certain that emerge in even stronger. We also trust Bruno Dubois, Michel Desjoyeaux, Olivier de Kersauson and Groupama Team France to prepare for the 35rd America's Cup. It is characteristic of a team to pull together and organize one of their own when a problem. '

Bruno Dubois, team manager of Team Groupama France:

'The words are not easy to find in times of crisis like the one we live yesterday. We work hard to recover the delay we have on the other teams ... and the road is still long before the first event in Bermuda in 2017. We will keep the focus on our common goals. Of course I hope to see Franck very quickly return to the boat. '