Crashing times

Giovanni Soldini's Fila is the second 60ft trimaran to lose her rig in a fortnight

At 1200 today Giovanni Soldini's 60ft trimaran Fila dismasted while en route for Zeebrugge where the next Grand Prix in the Offshore Racing Multihull Association's circuit starts this Thursday.

Soldini and his crew had left Fecamp this morning at 1000. The dismasting occurred as the Around Alone winner's new flier was 30 miles off Calais sailing in 20 knots of north westerly breeze under reefed main and staysail. "We were going along in managable conditions," commented Soldini after the incident, who explained that it was a small titanium piece, part of one of the attachments of the mast's stays which broke. This caused the mast to break, however Soldini's team have managed to recover the two mast pieces, the rigging and the sails.

Soldini has decided to head for Cherbourg and was making 4 knots. It is also where the JMV shipyard is located and Soldini says he is confident that they will be able to repair the broken spar in time for the Transat Jacques Vabre in November.

Fila's mast is the second to have gone on a 60ft trimaran in the last few days. At the recent Grand Prix in Fecamp, it was Loick Peyron's turn when the mast came tumbling down on board his new Fujifilm (to see pictures click here)