Ambrogio Beccaria has retired from the Route du Rhum, Destination Guadeloupe after a heavy fall in the cockpit of his IMOCA Allagrande Mapei left him with severe back pain.
The Italian skipper was lying fifth when the incident happened, at 2207 UTC on Thursday 5 November, as he sailed through a rough, confused sea.
Beccaria consulted race doctors following the fall before making the difficult decision to end his race.
He is now making his way to the Azores, where medical follow-up will be arranged on his arrival. His shore team remains in contact with him and is preparing to travel there to meet him and organise the boat's return.
No further details on the extent of his injury have been released.
