Ocean Globe Race: Skipper resigns after leader penalised 172hrs over breech of sail repair rules
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com/nz 10 Jan 21:21 PST
Translated 9 heading for the finish line on Leg 2 - December 12, 2023 © Richard Gladwell - Sail-World.com / nz
The skipper of Global Ocean Race leader Translated 9 has resigned over a breech and substantial penalty of sail repair rules, and is reported in Italian media to be flying home to Italy.
Vittorio Malingri preempted the release of the announcement of penalties on Translated 9 and five other boats, with statements in the Italian media, where he accepted responsibility.
“I have resigned from my role as skipper of Translated 9. Exasperated by the rules and management of this singular regatta, I have made a decision not previously agreed with the Team which will cost me a heavy penalty", he said in a report published in La Stampa, auto-translated from Italian.
"Taking a step back is a necessary act towards an exceptional crew and a company with unique correctness and authenticity of values which will always have my respect and support, with which I have shared an experience of the highest technical value in the water and human value on board," Malingri continued.
On Thursday, after the Leg 3 briefing, with just days to the restart of the McIntyre Ocean Globe Race (OGR) it was announced tha race leader Translated 9 was issued a total of 172 hours of time penalties associated with sending three sails to a sailmaker for repair, without approval and without any notice. 100 hours have been suspended, and the actual time penalty is 72hrs, or three days.
Five other entries in the 13 boat fleet have also been penalised over authorised sail repairs undertaken in accordance with the Race Rules.
The Ocean Globe Race is not a sanctioned event by World Sailing and is therefore not subject to the usual requirement for all such incidents and penalties to be imposed by an International Jury, instead of race organisers working off a pre-announced penalty schedule.
Under the Notice of Race governing the fully crewed, no-technology, Around the World Race to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Whitbread Round the World Race, the usual process of taking sails to a loft for repairs during a stopover is not permitted, unless specific processes are followed and advance notice and approvals are given.
The objective of the restrictions is for boats to race around the world with just one suit of sails, in order to reduce the cost of competition in the adventure race.
The 13 boat fleet sails the traditional four leg Whitbread course, with a start in UK, and stopovers in Cape Town, Auckland and Punta del Este, finishing in UK. Translated 9 which was first to finish on Leg 2 which finished in Auckland in mid-December. The Swan 65, as ADC Accutrac, competed in the 1977/78 Whitbread, skippered by renowned solo sailor, the diminutive (5ft 2") Clare Francis, who was the first woman to skipper an entry in the Whitbread Race.
The event has attracted 128 crew of whom 30 are women. Normally at least one female crew member must be included in the crew, however at the race briefing for Leg 3, this afternoon it was announced that two boats were unable to comply with this requirement for Leg 3, for genuine reasons, and they have been given a dispensation, provided the situation is rectified for Leg 4.
Of the 128 crew members only two have previously rounded Cape Horn, and it is experiences like that normally only available to top professional race crews, which form part of the attraction of the race.
Sailmakers have been seen at work on the dockside and decks of the entries all week, undertaking repairs and beefing up sails. In past Whitbreads the entries have all carried sewing machines on board and ongoing repairs were a pseudo-penalty for crews that pushed beyond the limit, and blowing out sails. At stopovers sail repairs were carried out at local loft, or in a shared facility operated by the teams in conjunction with race organisers.
In Translated 9's instance, organisers say in a written statement that "no OGR approvals were given to Translated 9 to remove sails for repair. When all entrants were asked later by the organiser if sails were delivered to a sailmaker for repairs, a declaration was provided by the captain of Translated 9 clearly stating they had not been removed and were onboard the boat. In fact, the sails had been removed three days before the captain’s declaration was received", the statement says.
"On investigation, after the declaration was received, it was proven that three sails were sent to a sailmaker by the captain of Translated 9 before the declaration. OGR immediately commenced an enquiry. The captain admitted the declaration he supplied was wrong and that at the time he supplied the declaration he was aware sails were at the sail maker."
On that basis a total of 72 hours penalties were applied by organisers for the three sails sent without the authority or knowledge of the OGR. A further 100-hour penalty was applied "for the supply of a wrong declaration when asked. As the captain acted against team orders and the direct instructions of the team manager and owner, and without their knowledge, this 100-hr penalty was suspended, subject to the entry not breaching any further NOR rules. IF that be the case the entry would be disqualified." (See official report below.)
Following the official report and penalties applied, the captain of Translated 9 resigned accepting responsibility for his error of judgment. The team is carrying out an investigation to understand what happened and how to ensure it does not happen again.
Sail Rules of OGR and other penalties for Leg 3.
In a commentary provided with the media statement and decision organisers claimed that when Conny van Rietschoten won the second Whitbread in 1977 in Flyer, "he used over 50 sails to achieve that result. Setting out from the UK with 25 sails, blown out spinnakers were replaced in Cape Town and by the time they arrived at the halfway point in Auckland, nearly all sails were replaced as they had stretched. Money was no object to winning."
During the 2018 Golden Globe Race, a 212 day solo 30,000 mile voyage around the world, three yachts completed the voyage using only one mainsail, a staysail and a genoa, that were never changed, only reefed. The only other sails used were a couple of spinnakers. Five sails in total. Modern Dacron sailcloth and build techniques are proven very durable.
The OGR is all about back to basic adventure racing, where money has no advantage to winning the race, say organisers. "OGR strives to keep things affordable and equitable for all entrants. OGR works hard to make sailors sail safely and not be overcome by speed at the expense of cutting corners, increasing risk. OGR also works on sustainability as a core value."
They paraphrased the sail restriction rules saying that "if an OGR entrant has one mast, then only 11 sails are allowed onboard for the entire circumnavigation. If their yacht has two masts, they are allowed 13 sails. Any sail older than 8 years is discounted 50% so two old sails are counted as one new sail. Only Dacron or Nylon sail material is allowed in sails. No sails may be removed from the boat for repair. A sailmaker can come onboard the boat in port to make sail repairs without penalty. If a sail is lost or thrown overboard, a 24 hours penalty is applied. If a new sail is brought onboard after the start, a 24 hour penalty is applied."
"All these unique rules are designed to ensure an entrant considers the selection and design of the sail wardrobe as if the OGR were a non-stop race around the world, without the benefit of buying new sails in each port. They need to be strong!
"Entrants need to sail carefully and not damage sails which must go the distance all around the world. Pushing to the limit, blowing sails and buying new in each port come with penalties. Recycling perfectly good 8-year-old sails can be a real advantage over buying new in the OGR.
These rules were announced four years before the start of the OGR. Most entrants built strong sails and sail accordingly."
"On arrival in Cape Town however, a few entrants needed serious sail repairs," the release continued. "Some entrants were complaining about these crazy rules that they had signed up for. Some suggested it was dangerous to continue. It was clear they had not factored in the concept of OGR Sails. Others were quite relaxed and had even accepted IRC Rating penalties to carry extra spinnakers to cover sail damage. It was clear a few were not taking the sail restriction seriously and were now regretting it."
"After careful consideration OGR decided to allow a Fleet Exemption for free sail repairs in Cape Town with the warning that it will never happen again, so strengthen your sails now!"
"Arriving in Auckland at the halfway point, a few entrants again reported pushing too hard, crashing gybes and damaged sails. Once again, some strongly rejected the OGR sail rules they had signed up for and demanded access to a sailmaker. OGR decided that with prior registration and approval, a sail could be sent to a sail maker for inspection or repair, and a 12 hour penalty is applied for each sail."
"An entrant who factors into their racing strategy the clear, simple and sensibly unique OGR Sail Rules and Restrictions is better placed to do well, compared to an entrant who ignores them and complains later because their sails are not up to the job or they pushed them too hard.
"One entrant ordered a new sail lost off Cape Town and accepted a gift of two old spinnakers from a supporter accepting the penalties. Four entrants applied to send sails out for repair. All others managed their sail repairs onboard their boats. One entrant sent sails out without approval, which was discovered by OGR, investigated and penalized accordingly."
Sail penalties. Applied to Leg 3:
Five boats plus Translated 9 have been given sail penalties in accordance with the race rules
Explorer: 2 Old spinnakers-gift; New genoa-lost - 48hrs
Neptune: 2 Spinnakers, 1 Gennaker…penalty 36hrs
Outlaw: Spinnaker…penalty 12hrs
Pen Duick VI: Reacher … penalty 12 hrs
Sterna: Staysail… penalty 12 hours
Translated 9: Genoa, two spinnakers…penalty 72hrs; Wrong declaration 100hrs suspended (see Penalty Report below).
The Ocean Globe Race (OGR) is a fully crewed retro race in the spirit of the 1973 Whitbread Round the World Race to mark the 50th Anniversary of the original event. Starting at MDL’s Ocean Village Marina, Southampton UK on September 10th, 2023, the OGR is a 27,000-mile sprint around the Globe divided into four legs, taking in the Southern Ocean and the three great Capes.
The fleet is divided in three classes for a total of 14 entries. Stopovers include Cape Town in South Africa, Auckland in New Zealand, and Punta del Este in Uruguay, before finishing back to the UK in April 2024.
Event Organisers description of Translated 9 Auckland Stopover incident
Re: Sails removed from Translated 9 to a sailmaker, without the knowledge or permission of OGR and contrary to a declaration supplied by the Captain.
Situation:
On the 14 Dec all OGR entrants were advised in the Entrant Update #31, that any sails removed from the boat and sent to a sail maker for inspection or repairs, would incur a 12 hr time penalty, for each sail removed. Any sail being removed from the boat must first be registered with OGR for approval.
Subsequently, OGR believed some entrant sails had been removed and sent to sailmakers without being registered and without OGR knowledge.
On Dec 21, OGR emailed all OGR entrants seeking immediate clarification on any sails that had been sent to sailmakers…with a warning, that any sails not declared and registered, would receive a heavier penalty.
Background:
On Dec 21 Translated 9 Captain provided the following declaration: “No sails have been sent to a sailmaker for inspection or repair and all sails from the OGR are still on the boat.”
On 5th January, two weeks later, OGR secured evidence to suggest that three sails had been removed from Translated 9 and sent to a sail maker for repair, on the 17th and 18th Dec. This was four days prior to the date of the official declaration, from the Translated 9 captain stating that no sails had been removed from Translated9. At no time had OGR received notification to suggest any change from the previous declaration.
On January 5th Notice was served on Translated 9 asking for an explanation and clarification of an apparent wrong declaration supplied by the captain and if sails had been delivered to a sail maker.
The Captain confirmed that three sails had been removed from the boat and delivered to the sailmaker on the 17th and 18th December. He confirmed he was aware that those sails had been sent to the sailmaker before he made the Dec 21st declaration. The Captain confirmed that the declaration was wrong and shows great remorse for his lapse of judgment.
The Co-Captain and Entry Owner confirmed that specific team instructions were agreed not to send any sails to a sail maker and all minor repairs discovered were to be carried out onboard the yacht. The instructions were given both verbally and in writing to the captain. The team manager confirmed that the plan was agreed to have all repairs carried out onboard the yacht. The co-captain and team manager confirmed they were not aware any sails had been sent to a sailmaker until January 5th when OGR requested clarification.
Summary:
Three sails were sent from Translated 9 to a sailmaker for inspection and repair without registration and approval from ogr. The captain provided a wrong declaration when asked to confirm if any sails had been sent to a sailmaker for inspection and repair. The captain acted independently and against instructions from the co-skipper/team owner and team manager who were both never consulted nor informed of his action. Translated 9 has always promoted openly and publicly a philosophy of total commitment to the rules within the ogr notice of race.
It is clear the Captain acted alone in deciding to send sails to the sailmaker.
Determination
1. Three sails were sent to a sailmaker for inspection and repair. Each sail receives a standard 12-hour penalty. Total 36hrs.
2. Three sails were sent to a sailmaker without authority and registration. Each sail receives an extra 12-hour penalty. Total 36hrs.
3. The Captain provided a wrong declaration to OGR acting against team orders. Penalty 100 hours. Suspended subject to Translated 9 never again failing to comply with any rules of the notice of race, in which case NOR 3.1.11 Disqualification will come into effect.
The total sail penalty is 72 hours.