Team Aqua at the iShares Cup 2008 in Hyeres, France. Image copyright Pierrick Contin/DPPI/OC Events.
Statement from Cameron Appleton via iShares Cup/OC Event media:
"We’re officially withdrawing from the Cowes round of the iShares Cup due to an accident suffered to our helmsman Alister Richardson yesterday at the time of our capsize. We’ve assessed all areas of the project including his well-being and we feel that with his back strain yesterday he’s not in a position to produce this sort of level of intensity and results that we are going to be looking for in the remainder of this regatta, and we just feel that his well-being and his health is our biggest concern. If he can’t be at a 100% then our team can’t be up to it and it’s just an unfortunate situation and we’re sorry that he’s injured. Our boat is fixable but it’s just his well-being that is our main concern and he’s a main part of our programme so we want to protect his health.
"We sustained a broken top section of the mast and a few other broken bits and pieces that come with breaking a mast, and lots of little rips and tears to the mainsail. All those things we fixed anyway and we had all intentions this afternoon to re-rig the boat and go sailing but when it came round to the final crunch of making a call, we re-visited all the options and the main concern was Alister. The boat was in a position to go sailing again but Alister’s more important to our programme than the repairs to the boat right now."
Team Aqua
iShares Cup
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