Withdrawal of Motorboat 2 and KALOLO

Press Release N°2 - 15th june by night

At 6:19 PM, Motorboat II, skippered by Alan Qere, reported a broach that resulted in a broken mainsail batten and the loss of several items on board, including winch handles and headlamps.

At 6:50 PM, the crew made the decision to withdraw from the New Caledonia Groupama Race.

Everyone on board is safe. 

Alan Qere told us, visibly moved: “We’re just happy to still be here.” The boat is currently anchored in Yaté for the night and will head back to Nouméa tomorrow.

A few minutes later, at 7:09 PM, Kalolo also retired from the race. Despite managing to repair a major steering issue, the crew chose not to take any further risks: “We don’t want to tempt fate,” they said.

This edition has been emotional from the start. While all sailors are safe, deep disappointment shadows those forced to retire from the race. 

More updates tomorrow morning.