Burling unscathed
New Zealand yachtsman Peter Burling had a lucky escape after huge waves continued to test the Volvo Ocean Race fleet.
Burling and his teammate Annie Lush were grinding as their Dutch entry Team Brunel prepared to gybe close to the Antarctic Ice Exclusion Zone when a rogue wave hit.
The force of the wave sent Burling and Lush into the guard rail at the back of the boat. Burling was unhurt and “doing well” but Lush was left with pain down her right side as she struggled to move her right leg.
The British sailor was carried below into her bunk and has been prescribed painkillers and plenty of
We’ve been battling it out, gybing the whole night through . . . it’s been pretty tiring. Carolijn Brouwer aboard Dongfeng
rest by on-call doctor Spike Briggs.
Team Brunel skipper Bouve Bekking said: “Annie will be confined to her bunk another 24 hours and hopefully she’ll be okay. She’s a tough cookie,” he said.
It’s not the first hit teams have felt since entering the Southern Ocean, just days ago winds of up to 50 knots saw the boats surf down mountainous waves with boat speeds reaching an incredible 38 knots.
Team Brunel were running fourth prior to the incident and are now more than 65 nautical miles behind leaders Dongfeng Race Team.
The battle between Dongfeng and Blair Tuke’s Spanish boat Mapfre has since intensified, with less than three nautical miles between the two in the third leg from Cape Town to Mel- bourne. They were so close at one stage, Mapfre had to ease their to avoid collision with Dongfeng on one of many close crosses.
“The guys on Mapfre had to ease