[Thursday, December 14, 2017]: Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18 challenger team AkzoNobel, currently racing through the Southern Ocean from Cape Town to Melbourne on Leg 3 of the round the world race has suffered damage to the yacht's mast and mainsail when a gybe in very strong winds and gigantic seas went wrong earlier today.
The gybe ripped the mainsail track from the back edge of the mast, broke several of the mainsail's carbon battens, and punctured the sail itself in several places. It was captured on film by Volvo Ocean Race on board reporter James Blake (NZL).
In the video watch captain Chris Nicholson (AUS) who was helming at the time describes what went wrong during the gybe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecjOXB8Cfro&feature=youtu.be
