Route du Rhum: Alex Thomson runs aground on Guadeloupe
by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com/nz 15 Nov 2018 21:38 PST
Alex Thomson - Hugo Boss - Images after terrain closure on Guadeloupe Island © Alex Thomson Racing
Top British solo sailor and Route du Rhum race leader in the IMOCA60 class has run aground on Guadeloupe island just short of the finish of the finish for the La Route du Rhum: Destination Guadeloupe solo yacht race.
He is sailing solo on the foiling IMOCA60 Hugo Boss and ran aground just over 60nm from the race finish. It appears that he has got off the island and is making slow progress at 3kts.
Later he appeared to have got up to full sailing speed and at 1936 UTC was making 11kts with 33nm left to sail. The second placed IMOCA60 has 198nm to sail to the finish averaging 17kts and is projected to finish 8hrs astern of Hugo Boss, barring further incidents.
The race tracker shows Thomson making a terrain closure on the NW tip of Guadeloupe and he is now heading for the finish, presumably accompanied by his support team.
Media statement from his team:
Alex Thomson Racing is currently managing a developing incident, which occurred during La Route du Rhum: Destination Guadeloupe.
Today (Thursday, November 15) between 21:45 and 22:00 AST Alex Thomson’s IMOCA 60 race boat grounded on Guadeloupe island.
Skipper Thomson is safe, uninjured and in no danger. Structural checks are ongoing.
The situation is being closely reviewed and monitored by the technical and management teams at Alex Thomson Racing, who are in contact with Thomson, together with the Route du Rhum race organisation.
Thomson is continuing to race onboard HUGO BOSS and intends to complete the race.
Update from Route du Rhum media:
Following initial reports that Alex Thomson’s Hugo Boss had grounded on rocks during the final miles of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe while leading the IMOCA class, Race Direction has contacted the British skipper to check his status.
They have ascertained that while sailing on port tack at the north end of Grande Terre island, Hugo Boss ran aground on rocky cliffs around 21:45hrs (local time/0145hrs UTC Friday).
The accident occurred at the north end of Grande Terre, just south of the Grande Vigie lighthouse on La Pointe à Claude.
Upon hitting the cliff, Alex Thomson had to lower his sails and start his engine to reverse his boat from the rocks. He was able to extract himself from the reefs before re-hoisting his sails to resume his passage. Thomson stopped his engine and then set a new seal on the propeller shaft.
The skipper was not injured but there is damage to his boat. The crash box in the bow is damaged and has taken in water but it is contained, and the bowsprit is damaged. The water is contained by the forward bulkhead.
The starboard foil is also reported to be damaged. According to Thomson’s conversation with the Race Director, the keel and its structure are certainly also affected. But it has not been possible to establish a more precise diagnosis during the hours of darkness.
Currently, the boat is sailing at a speed of 7 knots and continues its passage around the island towards the finish line.
Approaching the small island at Tete à l’Anglais he has about 50 miles to go until the finish line.
The International Jury was immediately informed by Race Direction of the accident and it will file a protest against Alex Thomson for using his engine during the race.
A safety boat has been sent and will accompany Hugo Boss in case it is needed.
Latest - Thomson finishes as first IMOCA60
The British sailor Alex Thomson has today crossed the finish line of the four-yearly solo Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe transatlantic sailing race, as the first in the IMOCA Class.
However, following an incident last night in which Thomson ran aground in his all-black Hugo Boss boat on the north end of Grande Terre, the focus is on the race jury who will have to decide whether he should receive a time penalty for using his engine.
Thomson crossed the finish line at Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe at 08:10:58 local time (13:10:58CET) after 11 days, 23 hours 10 minutes and 58 seconds at sea.
His elapsed time for the 3,542-nautical mile course could be a new class record for IMOCAs if his finish is allowed to stand.
A total of 123 sailors started the race on November 4 off Saint Malo in Brittany. Thomson is the fourth sailor to finish it after the two ULTIME skippers, Francis Joyon and François Gabart, and the Multi50 class winner Armel Tripon.