Golden Globe Race: Slats injured in knock-downs

Dutch Golden Globe Race skipper, Mark Slats believes he has cracked a rib during two knock-downs as he heads towards the compulsory gate at Hobart

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Mark Slats, who is currently in second place in the Golden Globe Race, has told organisers he believes he has cracked a rib during two knock-downs.

The 41-year-old was hit by a toolbox flying across the cabin when his Rustler 36, Ophen Maverick hit a 3-metre southerly swell on the beam on 15 October 2018.

The Dutchman, who is said not to be overstressed by the situation, also reported that the winds had suddenly picked up to 30-35 knots, prompting him to place  a safety call to Race HQ, which is allowed under the rules of the race.

Race organisers said they were monitoring the situation.

Slats, who previously solo circumnavigated the world in 2004/5,  is currently making his way towards the second compulsory gate at Hobart.

He is, however, lagging behind race leader Jean-Luc Van Den Heede who is now some 2,000 miles ahead. Slats isn’t expected to reach the gate before 22 October.

Meanwhile third placed Estonian Uku Randmaa is fighting to keep hold of his position as Britain’s Susie Goodall chases him across the Southern Ocean.

Randmaa is expected to reach the Hobart gate some time between 27-28 October, with Goodall a couple of days behind.

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Finland’s Tapio Lehtinen is also feeling the heat with just 7 miles separating him and sixth placed American/Hungarian Istvan Kopar.

Kopar is still struggling with problems aboard his Tradewind 35, Puffin, with no working SSB radio. This means he can’t pick up commercial weather forecasts or accurate time signals needed for celestial navigation. Instead, he is relying on a wind-up clock.

“ANOTHER DAY IN GGR WHEN I MISS MY FAMLY & HOME TERRIBLY & QUESTION MY SANITY” he wrote in a text to Golden Globe Race HQ.

At the back of the fleet Russia’s Igor Zaretskiy and Australian Mark Sinclair are now some 5,000 miles behind Van Den Heede.

Both have stayed resolutely north of the Roaring Forty latitudes since rounding the Cape of Good Hope and are only now biting the bullet and heading southwards towards the westerly air-stream.

Out of the 17 skippers who crossed the start line of the 2018 Golden Globe Race on 1 July, just eight are left in the main race.

Latest positions at 16:00 UTC 16 October 2018

1 Jean- Luc VDH (FRA) Rustler 36 Matmut
2 Mark Slats (NED) Rustler 36 Ohpen Maverick
3 Uku Randmaa (EST) Rustler 36 One and All
4 Susie Goodall GBR) Rustler 36 DHL Starlight
5 Tapio Lehtinen (FIN) Gaia 36 Asteria
6 Istvan Kopar (USA) Tradewind 35 Puffin
7 Igor Zaretskiy (RUS) Endurance 35 Esmeralda
8 Mark Sinclair (Aus) Lello 34 Coconut