The Portimão Global Ocean Race leaders continued to hammer north toward the finish in Charleston, SC, leaving the Virgin Islands to port with Class 40s Beluga Racer and Desafio Cabo de Hornos polling speed averages of between 12-14 knots. Then, yesterday Desafio collided with a submerged object while
planing along at 20 knots of speed in the dark, destroying their leeward
rudder.

“We had the spinnaker up and without the rudder we rounded-up and went into a
broach,” recalls Felipe Cubillos. “After a lot of work we got the boat under
control and dropped the main, sailing with the Solent headsail only.” Having
recovered from the collision, Cubillos and teammate José Muñoz decided have
decided to continue on to Charleston. “As we are missing a rudder, the job is
a bit complex, but we have 1100 miles to go and we think that we can make it,”
stated Cubillos via email.

Still in second place, the Chilean team is organising the fabrication of a
replacement rudder in France and shipping the blade to Charleston in time for
the start of the final leg of the 30,000 mile race from Charleston to
Portimão, Portugal.