Had they pulled a rabbit out of a hat it may have surprised less, but just over a month after running aground into a reef, Team Vestas Wind have confirmed that they plan to return to this year's Volvo Ocean Race.
The team's chief executive, Morten Albaek, revealed the decision on Thursday during the race's awards night in Abu Dhabi and, along with skipper Chris Nicholson, expanded on the decision on Friday after the in-port race.
Most prognoses for Vestas Wind’s return had looked progressively bleaker throughout the last few days, but team officials said they had received enough information on the damage sustained by the boat to believe a return was possible.
“The ambition is that we are able to sail out of Lisbon, thereby participating in the last two legs,” Albaek said. “Of course we dream and hope for more, but that is what we are eyeing as a realistic target.”
Though the intent is unambiguous, Albaek acknowledged there remained several “unknowns” as the process of assessing the full extent of the damage sustained by the boat continues.
But discoveries such as 70 to 80 per cent of the deck being intact have encouraged officials to believe that a return is possible.
“We have so much information at this time that we believe it is prudent to announce we are coming back into the race,” Albaek said.
“Of course, every second, minute, day and week is going to count. It is not a done deal and there is a lot of hard work ahead of us.”
On-shore officials are in Malaysia assessing the state of the boat. To save time, the boat builders in Italy – Persico Marine – will build a temporary boatyard where repair and reconstruction will take place. Shipping the boat to Bergamo from Malaysia will take three weeks.
The biggest challenge may well be ensuring that the new boat, rebuilt from spare new parts spliced onto the old remains, fits the strict one-design specifications that govern this race.
“We will have someone in Italy who monitored every single one of the seven boats built from start to finish, and he will be there monitoring this whole project also,” said Knut Frostad, the VOR chief executive. “Probably that is the biggest challenge, that this boat is a one-design 65 and strictly.”
What may not be the same is the crew, or at least the navigator. It was a navigation error by Wouter Verbraak that led to the boat hitting the reef. Nicholson has been tasked with conducting a review of all crew, which will take place this month, but his assessment of Verbraak’s position was hardly a ringing endorsement.
“At the moment everyone remains on contract,” Nicholson said. “The plan is to use just about everyone in regards to rebuilding the boat.
“We’ve already had discussions. We are where we are today from a navigational error in the end, and obviously that is what we have to look closely at.”
osamiuddin@thenational.ae
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