11th Hour Racing Team winner of the 5th leg of the Ocean Race

May 31, 2023

Since the beginning of the Ocean Race, in the first leg (Alicante-Cape Verde), Team Holcim-PRB has been at the top of the general classification of the race, having won the first three legs. The mast problem caused them to withdraw from the fourth leg and they were unable to score points, and as a result the overall ranking has become tighter than ever.

This fifth leg scored double points, making it even more important to finish in a good position. At the start of Leg 5, the in-port race was sailed offshore and it was Team Malizia who won the in-port. However, once the in-port was over and Leg 5 began, the 11th Hour Racing Team took the lead and could not be overtaken by any team on the 3,500 nautical mile leg 5 from Newport to Aarhus.

Charlie Enright's 11th Hour Racing has been sailing at breakneck speeds towards the finish line. Although Team Malizia broke the 24 hour speed record, it was not enough to overcome the third place they finished in. Only 5 minutes behind Holcim-PRB with whom they had one of the closest battles in this Ocean Race.

Third place leaves Team Malizia in third place overall. Still, co-skipper Will Harris was upbeat when asked if they could still win the race. Malizia is four points behind the leader.

With a difference of about 25 nautical miles, 11th Hour Racing was the winner of the fifth leg, its second consecutive victory. A double points victory that moves the American team to the top of the overall rankings and makes them one of the favorites to win the ocean race.

Paul Meilhat's Biotherm is having a disastrous leg. On Monday night, the team broke the port shroud. The crew is safe and the team was able to ensure the stability of the mast, but their sailing is well below the usual pace and they have not yet reached the finish.

With two legs and the final in-port race remaining, the overall classification is as follows: