US-based boat Alaka’i dismasts off Spain, abandons racing

By BERNIE WILSON
AP Sports Writer

A U.S.-based crew had to abandon racing in the Transat Jacques Vabre after its 60-foot boat dismasted off the coast of Spain. Co-skippers Simon Fisher of Britain and Justine Mettraux of Switzerland were not hurt when the 95-foot mast on 11th Hour Racing Team Alaka’i came tumbling down in 23 knots of wind and choppy seas about seven miles off A Coruña. They were four days into the Transat Jacques Vabre, a race of 5,800 nautical miles from Le Havre to Martinique in the French Caribbean.