11th Hour Racing Team has completed its first major fully crewed ocean crossing.
The new IMOCA race boat Mālama arrived in its home port of Newport, Rhode Island, this evening at sundown following a successful 10-day transatlantic training run from Concarneau, France.
On board Mālama was skipper Charlie Enright (USA), joined by newcomer to the team Francesca Clapcich (ITA), Simon Fisher (GBR), and Justine Mettraux (SUI), with on board media crew member Amory Ross (USA).
As Mālama approached Newport, Skipper Charlie Enright said: “This transatlantic crossing has been great for the team. It’s been important to get into the rhythm of crewed sailing again, to get into positions, practice manoeuvres, and test the boat for reliability. There is no better way to train for The Ocean Race than to cross oceans!
“I’m really excited for the team and Mālama to be home. We’re looking forward to engaging with the local schools and communities along with our sponsor 11th Hour Racing at #OceanHour Week, as well as sharing some of the learnings from our boat build in France back here in Newport.”
The team will now turn its attention to preparing for the Newport Bermuda Race, a 635-nautical mile (730-mile or 1,022-km) dash from Rhode Island down to the North Atlantic Island departing on June 17. This will be the first chance to test the on-board systems and boat handling in a race environment with five crew on board.
From today, 11th Hour Racing Team and Mālama will be based at Fort Adams State Park, in Newport, the home of title sponsor, 11th Hour Racing, until the end of July, supporting a range of activities and sharing their experiences on ocean health and sustainable boat building practices with the local community.
To find out more about the local activities, please click here.
11th Hour Racing Team will take part in the 2022-23 edition of The Ocean Race. The next edition will depart from Alicante, Spain, on January 15, 2022.
By 11th Hour Racing Team
