(Reuters) – Charlie Enright became the first American skipper to win the 27,000-mile Ocean Race on Thursday after World Sailing judges awarded his 11th Hour Racing team “redress” points following a collision near the start of the final stage earlier this month.
11th Hour became the first U.S.-flagged entry to win the race in its 50-year history when the four points the jury awarded them left the Americans three points ahead of Team Holcim-PRB, in second place.
“I’m absolutely ecstatic,” Enright said as the winning team eased into port in Genoa. “There have been highs, some incredible highs, but also lows that have knocked us all, but they were all worth it to hear this news today.”
The American team had been forced to retire from the race when they collided with GUYOT environnement – Team Europe at the start of the seventh leg on June 15 as they were sailing out of The Hague, with the collision leaving them with a gaping hole in their stern.
“Any sailor will tell you that they want to win races on the water and not in the jury room, and after winning three legs back to back we felt exceptionally strong and confident going into the final leg. We are pleased with the jury’s decision, although we wish we had had the chance to battle it out for this final leg on the water as Holcim-PRB have been exceptional competitors and pushed us all the way.
“It’s not the way I would have drawn this up, but the victory is sweet all the same.”
The American team’s trimmer Francesca Clapcich became the first Italian to win The Ocean Race. “It feels pretty surreal still – it hasn’t really sunk in yet,” she said.
“It’s been a lifetime dream to firstly be part of the race, and now to win the race, and so it feels very special. The first time for an American team and the first time an Italian sailor has won the race — it means a lot to me — I’m Italian, and I live in the U.S. — it’s both of my worlds colliding together.”
(Writing by Ossian Shine in London; Editing by Toby Davis)
