Team Malizia leads the Ocean Race's fleet into the Northern Hemisphere
by Team Malizia 1 May 2023 21:22 UTC
1 May 2023
Malizia - Seaexplorer crossed the Equator a few minutes ahead of 11th Hour Racing Team in Leg 4 of The Ocean Race © Antoine Auriol / Team Malizia
This Monday 1 May at 19:39:57 UTC, Team Malizia skippered by Will Harris was the first team to cross the Equator in Leg 4 of The Ocean Race after 8 days 3 hours 24 minutes and 57 seconds.
Having left Itajaí, Brazil, just over a week ago to race towards Newport, Rhode Island, USA in Leg 4 of The Ocean Race, the fleet of IMOCA boats has been sailing in moderate trade winds. Speeding north, they rounded the corner of northeastern Brazil last night and reached fairly benign doldrums soon after. Team Malizia skippered by Will Harris and crewed by Rosalin Kuiper, Nico Lunven, Christopher Pratt and onboard reporter Antoine Auriol has been racing neck and neck with 11th Hour Racing Team, alternating between first and second place. Finally, Team Malizia was the first team to cross the Equator this Monday 1 May at 19:39:57 UTC after 8 days 3 hours 24 minutes and 57 seconds of competition in the South Atlantic.
Although it wasn't a first for any of the crew onboard Malizia - Seaexplorer, the crossing marked their passage into the Northern Hemisphere after four months of sailing in southern latitudes. Having jumped in for injured Boris Herrmann in Leg 2, Will Harris skippered Malizia - Seaexplorer for both Equator crossings in this edition of The Ocean Race.
"Across the Equator now, with 11th Hour Racing Team in eyesight, it's unbelievably close racing at the moment," said the young British skipper in a voice note just after the passage. "Every time we get a cloud and accelerate away, they seem to catch one twenty minutes later. It's nice to have some company as we head back into the Northern Hemisphere. It feels like it's a big step in this race even though it's not counting for anything in terms of points. We have crossed the Equator twice now, so we have rounded the world in the Southern Hemisphere and now we just have the Northern Hemisphere part to finish. The team has done really well to be in this position. We sailed the boat really well and are happy to prove that we can be fast in these lighter conditions as well. Now, we have a nice fight ahead of us with 11th Hour Racing Team and probably Biotherm as well up to the finish in Newport. So we will keep focused and sail fast!"
The international team enjoys sailing at the front of the fleet but is staying sharp indeed as 11th Hour Racing Team crossed the imaginary line only 2 minutes and 3 seconds later. The crew onboard Biotherm is currently sailing in third position and Guyot Environnement - Team Europe in fourth place. Team Holcim-PRB, who had to retire from Leg 4 after losing their mast, are working hard in Rio de Janeiro to prepare their boat and ship it via cargo vessel to the United States, aiming to be at the start of Leg 5 in Newport, Rhode Island in 3 weeks.
Team Malizia's A Race We Must Win - Climate Action Now! mission is only possible due to the strong and long-lasting commitment from its seven main partners, many of whom were welcomed by the team in Brazil: Kuehne+Nagel, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, Hapag-Lloyd, Schütz, the Yacht Club de Monaco, EFG International, and Zurich Group Germany. These partners band behind Team Malizia to support its campaign, each of them working towards projects in their own field to innovate around climate solutions.
Team Malizia's Crew for Leg 4
- Will Harris (GBR) - Skipper
- Rosalin Kuiper (NED) - Co-skipper
- Nicolas Lunven (FRA) - Co-skipper
- Christopher Pratt (FRA) - Co-skipper
- Antoine Auriol (FRA/GER) - Onboard reporter
Overall scoreboard before Leg 4
- Team Holcim-PRB - 19 points
- Team Malizia - 14 points
- 11th Hour Racing Team - 13 points
- Biotherm - 10 points
- Guyot Environnement - Team Europe - 2 points