Dubai: Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing skipper Ian Walker was relieved to see his team and their racing yacht Azzam emerge unscathed from a crash tack while sailing in darkness during leg five of the Volvo Ocean Race.
Walker described the incident as a lucky escape for the team, who are running fifth in the stage from Auckland to Itajai in Brazil, but are still hoping to challenge for a podium place.
The British skipper said the feeling was bizarre, yet remarkably peaceful, as the boat capsized while he was below deck, before the crew managed to right the situation.
Sea state
"Right now the Southern Ocean is showing us who is boss," he said. "The sea state is horrendous. We are sailing hard but trying to minimise the slamming as much as we can.
"It has been an eventful 24 hours with night-time surfs up to 40 knots, helmsmen being washed off the wheel — well that was me — and the piece de resistance, the crash tack.
"It was bizarre down below trying to get dressed standing on the walls of the boat, but it was remarkably peaceful. Once we got some boys on deck we managed to tack the runners, centre the keel, back down and get sailing again. After a good check of everything we were off again. A very lucky escape. So we have just under 2,000 miles to Cape Horn and it looks like it will be windy all the way. Hopefully the waves will sort themselves out a bit."
