More drama has struck the Velux 5 Oceans fleet with Polish skipper Zbigniew Gutkowski slicing his head open on his wind generator.

On Monday Briton Chris Stanmore-Major nearly lost his spinnaker, but yesterday it was Gutkowski, who sits second in the singlehanded fleet, in the wars.

The 36-year-old was trying to clear seaweed from the rudders of his Eco 60 Operon Racing, when he suffered several cuts to the head.

He said: ‘I don’t know how bad my wounds are, but I know that I was bleeding badly.

‘At once I put on a head-dressing to stop the bleeding. I couldn’t even estimate the size of my wound because my eyes were flooded with blood and couldn’t look at the mirror.

‘I was really scared that I might not make it and lose consciousness because of the blood lost.’

The injury has forced Gutkowski to stay below deck to keep the cuts dry and free from infection.

He said: ‘I can’t go outside, because the waves come on board very often and the boat is sailing with quite a big heel.

‘I don’t want to get my wound wet. The blades had enough sea salt on them. My wound is on my forehead, up under the hair.

‘Not one cut, but a couple of them. It is just impossible to make a stitch – I will have a big scar for sure.’

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