BT Global Challenge - ERITAS update

by Liz Addis on 31 May 2001 ERITAS crew members injured in Leg Five gale make determined recovery.

Robert Brooke and Charlie Smith are both planning to be in La Rochelle, France, to greet their crew mates as they finish Leg Six of the BT Global Challenge.

Brooke, 61, lost a little finger, fractured and dislocated other fingers and strained his back and knee in the incident while Smith, 31, suffered a fractured left femur, a fractured left elbow, a compound fracture of one ankle and his other ankle was dislocated. They had to be evacuated from the boat less than two days into Leg Five. They were dropped off at Port Eden, Australia, before being transferred to Canberra Hospital where they both underwent surgery.

Brooke says he is getting better all the time and is determined to get back on board in La Rochelle to take part in the final leg to Southampton. He said, “I am having on-going physiotherapy on my hand. The movement is increasing, the flexibility is coming but it is still swollen.

'I don’t have any problem with the amputated finger, it is the other ones, the fractured and dislocated fingers which are still causing problems. My hand has been swollen and out of action for a long time but my grip is coming back as I work each joint. I have been shifting a whole lot of compost with a spade in the garden today so it is coming back. I am definitely getting back on in La Rochelle, in fact I will hopefully be sailing on the prototype from Southampton to La Rochelle first which
will give me a taste of being back at sea.”

Brooke managed to make it to Cape Town, South Africa, to catch up with his crew as they completed Leg Five and is due next week to travel to stay with Smith at his parents’ home in Leicestershire, UK where he is recuperating from his extensive treatment. Although the two have kept in contact by telephone, Smith says he is looking forward to being able to catch up with his colleague in person and hear all about his Cape Town trip.

Smith celebrated a major milestone in his recovery this week when he threw away the zimmer frame he had been using to get around and progressed to using crutches. He said, “I can walk a long way now and actually moved upstairs yesterday so my parents can have their dining room back. I climb the stairs every day now.”

Smith was back in hospital earlier this month to have the metal brace removed from his leg and have a cast put on. He is due to go back to hospital at the end of next week to hopefully have the cast removed and then as he admits, “the hard work really starts.”

“I have been having physio two to three times a week but after the cast is taken off I think they are going to refer me to a place in Nottingham where I will go for two whole days a week. Life is getting back to normal or as near normal as it can be. I am disappointed I am not in the race but life goes on and I am focusing on getting better as quickly as I can so that I can get back home and lead a normal life. I keep in close contact with the guys on the boat, send them emails every day and my thoughts are with them each and every day.”

VERITAS Skipper Will Carnegie said those communiqués are appreciated. “Robert and Charlie seem to have a telepathic feel for the mood on board: their emails arrive, uncannily, at the time they are most needed. Monday was a tough day for me as we lost more miles and Robert's encouraging email was a Godsend.”

Although he will not be able to get back on board in La Rochelle, Smith is still looking forward to being there and catching up with the rest of the crew volunteers. “I will be in Southampton as well for the finish, I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Being there to watch them arrive is the next best thing,” he said.


Visit the Official Website: http://www.btchallenge.com