The Ocean Race 2022-23: 11th Hour Racing Team win Leg 5, seize first place in IMOCA standings
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Updated 29/05/2023 at 09:11 GMT
11th Hour Racing Team have emerged victorious in Leg 5 of The Ocean Race 2022-23 to vault into first place on the overall leaderboard ahead of Team Holcim - PRB and Team Malizia. The team had to navigate unpredictable offshore breezes and showcase their unwavering determination. The impressive win and their double-points scoring triumph have solidified their status as a dominant force in the race.
Victorious 11th Hour Racing Team arrive in Aarhus
11th Hour Racing Team have won Leg 5 of The Ocean Race 2022-23 to Aarhus, Denmark, propelling them to the top of the overall leaderboard.
The impressive win, coupled with the double-points scoring system of the leg across the Atlantic, has moved the American-flagged team above Team Holcim - PRB in the fight for the IMOCA title.
After an intense battle for second, Team Holcim - PRB edged the fast-finishing Team Malizia for second to stay within touching distance in the overall competition.
11th Hour Racing Team head the leaderboard with 28 points, with Team Holcim - PRB on 27 points and Team Malizia on 24 points.
With their second consecutive victory, 11th Hour Racing Team has solidified their status as a formidable force in this race, with the pre-race favourites now in control of the competition.
On reaching the dock in Aarhus, skipper Charlie Enright said: “It feels great to be here. I couldn’t have imagined a better outcome.
"We positioned the boat well, we sailed the boat fast, and we didn’t have any technical issues. We knew when we needed to push, and also when we needed to preserve. We didn’t open the tool bag once and that really shows the hard work the tech team put into the preparation in Newport. It was an awesome win for the whole team!”
The team faced challenging conditions as they navigated unpredictable offshore breezes near the coast, adding an extra layer of complexity to their journey. However, their unwavering determination and strategic expertise propelled them forward, ultimately leading to their triumphant finish.
After a week-long battle at sea, 11th Hour Racing Team crossed the finish line at 02:56:49 UTC, completing the leg in a commendable time of 7 days, 8 hours, 41 minutes, and 49 seconds. This momentous victory signifies a significant milestone for the team as they moved into the overall lead for the first time.
The final stretch proved to be an arduous upwind push, as Enright's crew adjusted their sails and skilfully manoeuvred towards the finish line. The team encountered a slight slowdown as they turned west, altering their course and delaying their estimated time of arrival.
“It was a tricky leg! It was one of those legs where we spent a lot of time looking at the weather before the start and it looked like it was going to be either a quick trip or it was going to be quite a complicated trip and luckily, it turned out to be the quicker trip," said navigator Simon Fisher after the win.
"We went into this leg knowing that we needed to be aggressive and we knew we needed to have a good result in this leg to stand a chance in the race. So we tried to sail aggressively and we sailed our own race. I am very happy to say it worked it nicely - everybody did a tremendous job.
"We got some pretty gnarly conditions as well on the top of Scotland and just to keep the pace on through those conditions when it gets pretty difficult and tricky in these boats, it was impressive, everybody did an amazing job," he added.
"These boats are incredible in conditions with big winds and flat water. We got used to going 30 knots so during the last few days when we slowed down to 18 it felt that we were parked!"
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