Disaster for the girls...

Amer Sports Too suffers major blow in the Bass Strait

Lisa McDonald's Amer Sports Too suffered a major blow at 0936 GMT today after a day of solid sailing from the all-women crew.

The team is currently drifting with all sails dropped in the middle of the Bass Strait as the crew work to save their mast. A strop which attaches the forestay to the bow failed putting the entire rig at risk.

McDonald's crew has fashioned a jury forestay and is expected to be back sailing in approximately two hours. "The yacht is not in danger," said a confident but understandably shocked McDonald. Returning to Eden in New South Wales was considered, a distance of 110nm, but instead the last placed team decided to continue their 300nm sprint south to Hobart.

Currently sailing in moderate waves and a relatively gentle 20-knot breeze, currently dropping to be light by daybreak. Once a jury rig has been successfully completed the team plan to hoist their main, possibly reefed, and then continue racing. The team will be met by a skeleton shore crew here in Hobart with a replacement strop.

This is a devastating blow to the team, who currently lie in eighth place overall, as they were only 20 miles behind John Kostecki's leading yacht illbruck at the time of the incident.

Kevin Shoebridge's Team Tyco have also now hit the news having failed to radio into the Sydney Hobart race control when passing Green Cape, Victoria. This is a mandatory safety check-in with the organisers. Though this will not affect her position in the Volvo Ocean Race leg three to Auckland, it does result in a disqualification from the Sydney Hobart Race.

After a brief meeting the Race Committee decided that Tyco's failure to comply with Sailing Instruction 43.2 within the hour time limit, the team were seven minutes late, means they will be recorded as DNF - did not finish - on arrival in Hobart.

Rule 43 of the Sailing instructions requires that on approaching 37.15 degrees south (Green Cape) each boat must assess whether it and it's crew are in a satisfactory condition to continue racing, having considered the latest weather forecasts, and that it's HF radio is operational and has a signal strength fit for the ensuring purpose.

Though the V.O.60s are not eligible for the overall handicap price they are able to win the overall line honours trophy. Though this does not affect the leg three standings the prestige of taking line honours in the Sydney Hobart could be enough for the team to put in a challenge against the decision. Elsa Butler, Press Officer for Tyco, says, "while all the relevant facts are yet to be discussed, the crew did feel they complied with all the race rules." Butler continued, "the crew was sailing in rough conditions and experiencing technical problems at the time, but do take race safety seriously and are keen to win line honours."

The race continues, with illbruck leading the charge toward the eastern coastal town of Hobart. Current predications are for a mid-morning (local time) finish in Hobart for the Volvo syndicates, with the Maxis coming shortly afterwards.