Ocean Race 2022-23: Team Holcim-PRB take win in Leg 1 from 11th Hour Racing and Team Malizia

ByEurosport

Updated 22/01/2023 at 16:24 GMT

The first leg of the 2022-23 Ocean Race saw Team Holcim-PRB cross the finish line first in Cabo Verde on Saturday. 11th Hour Racing Team pushed their rivals hard, but they were ultimately unable to recover from a damaged sail and had to settle for second place. Watch live coverage from every leg of The Ocean Race 2022-23 with Eurosport and discovery+.

Team Holcim-PRB takes win in Leg 1 of the Ocean Race 2022-23

`Team Holcim-PRB secured victory in Leg 1 of the Ocean Race.

Skippered by Kevin Escoffier, Team Holcim-PRB crossed the line off Mindelo, Cabo Verde in a time of 5 days, 11 hours, 1 minute and 59 seconds.

It was a commanding performance from Team Holcim-PRB, as Escoffier and his crew led for the majority of the race.

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Team Holcim-PRB were involved in a fierce battle with the 11th Hour Racing Team, but the latter suffered a torn headsail and had to slow down to fit a replacement - and that enabled Escoffier to secure clear water and power away.

“The boat is great. Both upwind and downwind, reaching, we have always been fast,” Escoffier said. “I'm very happy to start like this. It was our first race together as a full crew and I don't regret any of the choices. They are all great and together we went for the win.”

Charlie Enright’s 11th Hour Racing Team shrugged off the sail issue to hold on for second, but were pushed hard after the Gibraltar Strait by Team Malizia.

“We have fast boats, good sailors,” Enright said.

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“There are different strengths and weaknesses in the boats. Everyone is going to have their day and we’re certainly not taking anything for granted but if we focus on what we can control I think we’re going to be fine. We’re jumping at the opportunity to get going on the next leg.”

Team Malizia skipper Boris Herrmann admitted his delight at how his group had fared.

“I’m super happy with the performance of the boat and the team,” said Herrmann.

“It took nearly three days before we could even speak to each other as the boat was so loud and brutal in the tough conditions after the start. Then we started to get an almost champagne sailing situation, quite fast and nice."

The top three IMOCAs finished within five and a half hours of one another, with Biotherm taking fourth and GUYOT environnement - Team Europe fifth in times of six days, eight hours, 47 minutes and 47 seconds, and 6 days, 12 hours, 20 minutes and 37 seconds respectively.

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IMOCA class, Leg 1 Result

1. Team Holcim-PRB, winner leg one, finished - 5d 11h 01min 59s
2. 11th Hour Racing Team, finished - 5d 13h 50min 45s
3. Team Malizia, finished - 5d 16h 35min 21s
4. Biotherm, finished - 6d 8h 47min 47s
5. GUYOT environnement - Team Europe, finished - 6d 12h 20m 37s

The best of the on-board footage from Ocean Race 2022-23 Leg 1

In the VO65 class, WindWhisper Racing finished in the early afternoon on Saturday as Pablo Arrarte led his team to victory.

The Polish flagged team finished in a time of 6 days, 1 hour, 11 minutes 14 seconds after escaping the brutal conditions of the Mediterranean in the opening 48 hours of the race with a lead they would extend and protect.

"It was a challenge to get out of the Mediterranean in one piece without breaking the boat because we had a lot of wind - we saw more than 50 knots - so it was intense and hard," Arrarte said.

"We knew coming out of Gibraltar leading it would be easier to stay in front than to get in front later, so with [navigator] Axel Magdahl we made a good plan and we executed it and by leading coming out, the rest of the race was good.

"It's been an amazing race. We knew we were just doing this one leg right now so that allowed us to push hard. I'm glad we had this group, with some good experience as well as the young guys, and it was awesome to be out there again competing with the other teams. We've really enjoyed it."

The Dutch Team JAJO finished second, with Dutch skipper Jelmer van Beek leading his team home in a time of six days, four hours, 52 minutes and 52 seconds.

“We struggled a little bit in the first part of the race, we couldn’t keep up with the others, but when we came out of Gibraltar we were getting better and better, sail changes were better, we were sailing sharper,” van Beek said.

“We can always find a little bit more speed, get a little quicker, but we are happy with a second place finish. It’s really nice to be here in Cabo Verde.”