This is called a successful freelance. Charlie Dalin, who came to compete in the 5th leg of The Ocean Race, the crewed round the world with stopovers, won this leg on Monday morning counting double on the American boat of Charlie Enright. 11th Hour Racing Team won after just 7 days 8 hours and 49 seconds of sailing, beating the Holcim-PRB of Kevin Escoffier (and Charles Caudrelier) by nearly 4 hours, followed five minutes later by Team Malizia.
“I am very happy with this victory here in Aarhus, on the occasion of my first participation in The Ocean Race. It was extremely fast, I feel like I left Newport two days ago. It was really great to sail in such an intense way, explained Charlie Dalin, second in the last Vendée Globe solo and in preparation for the next one scheduled for 2024.
With this success in Denmark, 11th Hour Racing Team takes the lead in the general classification with 28 points, Team Holcim-PRB remaining in the race for the final victory with 27 points, Team Malizia of Boris Hermann with 24 and Biotherm of Paul Meilhat 13 , far ahead of Guyot Environnement – Team Europe of Benjamin Dutreux, who dismasted on this leg in Newport and Aarhus.
Kevin Escoffier, who broke the record for distance traveled in 24 hours (640.91 miles) during this express round, after dismasting in the previous one, came back into the game, but not enough to clinch victory. “I think we sailed quickly and as well as the others,” commented the former castaway from the Vendée Globe. We had some problems, at first we had to trust our (new) mast, then we broke the 24 hour record, but it wasn’t enough. The new IMOCAs are quite extreme, fast but not very comfortable. I can tell you that doing 640 miles in 24 hours is really not comfortable… But by finishing in second place, we still have the possibility of winning The Ocean Race.” The next stage between Aarhus (Denmark) and The Hague (Netherlands), via Kiel (Germany), will start on June 8th.
