And you think you've got problems?
TELEFóNICA BLUE HITS ROCK WHILE LEADING VOLVO FLEET
Drama during leg 9 of the Volvo Ocean Race as Telefónica Blue became wedged on a rock and suspended racing at 1231 GMT while leading the fleet at the start of leg nine to Stockholm.
The boat hit the rock while racingat around 14 knots of boat speed and is hard aground in one-metre swells. The team immediately dropped the sails, but the boat¹s keel is firmly wedged within the rocks whilst the rest of the fleet is sailing away. A pilot boat and the coastguards are standing by and attempting to tow the boat clear. All the crew are unhurt.
Telefónica Blue was first across thestart line, but PUMA quickly established a lead of around 10 boat lengths and Ken Read tacked a few metres away from the rocks, where the spectators enjoyeda grandstand view.
This is the second time that such adisaster has befallen Telefónica Blue. The team struck a rock in Qingdao just before the start of leg five and the boat hadto return to Qingdaoto be hauled out for damage inspection.Complete
Efforts continue to tow the yachtfree from the rocks before the more serious damage is done.
