Alexis Loison has been forced out of the Route du Rhum after his Class40 Groupe REEL struck an unidentified object in the Atlantic, tearing off the yacht's starboard rudder.
The collision happened just after midday on Wednesday 4 November, with the Cherbourg sailor at the helm of his Lift V3 and sitting in seventh place in the Class40 fleet. The rudder had already been damaged on the first night of racing, and it could not withstand the fresh impact.
The impact occurred around 350 nautical miles northeast of the Azores, in winds of 15 to 20 knots and a chaotic sea state.
With no way to repair the damage at sea, retiring was Loison's only option. He is now making his way to Port-la-Forêt, where he's expected to arrive next Monday.
No further details on the nature of the object have been given.
