Biotherm and 11th Hour Racing Team both suspend racing amid high drama at the start of The Ocean Race 2022-23 Leg 3

ByRob Hemingway

Updated 26/02/2023 at 17:52 GMT

Sunday saw the five IMOCA boats begin their journey to Itajai, Brazil as Leg 3 - all 12,750 nautical miles of it - got underway in Cape Town. And it was an action-packed start, as two boats - Biotherm and 11th Hour Racing Team - were forced to suspend racing, and hugely changeable wind conditions saw the standings change at regular intervals which kept the crews on their toes.

Biotherm and 11th Hour Racing Team both decided to suspend racing amid high drama at the start of The Ocean Race 2022-23 Leg 3.

With Cape Town's Table Mountain providing a stunning backdrop, the five boats began their 12,750-nautical mile journey to Itajai, Brazil - the longest leg in the race's history.

And there was drama right from the beginning of the leg as four of the five boats got stuck in a low-wind compression, while Biotherm were the only ones to time their advance to the start line correctly, charging away from the rest.

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It was almost two minutes before another boat even passed the start line, as the wind conditions seemed to go from strong to very little in a matter of moments.

Biotherm held their advantage as the boats progressed out to the first mark of the inshore course, but it was all change soon after as they tacked too early, letting Team Malizia slip past them into the lead of the race.

And it went from bad to worse for Paul Meilhat and Biotherm thereafter as a breakage to the strop on their mainsheet saw them decide to suspend racing and head back to shore - but not before they had completed the in-port section of the start, so they wouldn't have to re-do it when they once again took to the water.

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Remarkable scenes followed as 11th Hour Racing Team then followed Biotherm in suspending racing, with their CEO Mark Towill revealing to Eurosport that they needed to head back to port to pick up some new mainsail wing tips.

'They're all on the wrong gybe!' - Chaos at the start as Biotherm catch everyone out

“We actually have two spares on board, so we could make the repair, but that would leave us with no spares for the Southern Ocean," Towill said.

Biotherm Racing take the early lead at the start of Leg 3 of The Ocean Race 2022-23.

Image credit: Other Agency

"So we’ll get the spares on board to be prepared for the long leg. This is the prudent thing to do.”

With two of the five boats struggling, it was up to Team Malizia to head the pack away from Table Bay, with Team Holcim-PRB in close pursuit and GUYOT Environnement-Team Europe a little further back.

With such inconsistent wind conditions, it remains to be seen how far ahead the three boats get before they are re-joined by 11th Hour Racing Team and Biotherm.

The Ocean Race - review of the drama so far, from drag race to fascinating duels

Suspending racing incurs a minimum two-hour requirement to remain onshore, meaning that Biotherm were able to restart at 3.05pm UK time, and 11th Hour Racing Team at 3.07pm.

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Watch live coverage from every leg of The Ocean Race 2022-23 with Eurosport and discovery+.

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