Bermuda June 19, 2022: At 06:48 EDT, 11th Hour Racing Team crossed the finish line of the 2022 Newport Bermuda Race after a grueling 41 hours and 28 minutes 43 seconds at sea.\u00a0 :<\/p>\n
Skipper Charlie Enright (USA) and Justine Mettraux (SUI) were joined by special guests Red Bull big wave surfer Ian Walsh (USA) and backcountry snowboarder Elena Hight (USA), alongside Media Crew Member Amory Ross (USA).<\/p>\n
It was a fast and bumpy ride to Bermuda with the crew onboard M\u0101lama racing off the start line to escape the cold front that was chasing them down. Reaching in 20-30 knots of South Westerly wind for almost the entire way on a starboard tack, they sailed through the strong currents of the Gulf Stream, and into the rough and speedy conditions that led them to Bermuda.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cA heated sea state\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis has been full on,\u201d said Skipper Charlie Enright after crossing the finish line in Bermuda. \u201cThere has been no rest for anybody onboard. From the moment we left Newport we have been racing at speeds between 20-30-knots in a heated sea state.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore completing this 635-nautical mile race, both Ian and Elena had 24-hours training with us in beautiful conditions back in Newport. They knew the forecast for this race would be very different but I am honestly amazed at how well they have adapted. They both exceeded all expectations in terms of performance, attitude and general contribution to life onboard.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI can only describe the last 41 hours as living in a washing machine, which, speaking of washing machines, we could all use one right now!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s only been a day and a half but it feels like more\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have been looking forward to this as it was our first major race of the year,\u201d explained Justine Mettraux from below deck. \u201cAs a team we always really enjoy being in race mode because we\u2019re constantly learning, even when it\u2019s rough and uncomfortable conditions like we have had. We\u2019ve only been at sea a day and a half but due to the lack of rest, it feels like much longer.<\/p>\n
\u201cIan and Elena were fantastic, contributing to everything onboard. I\u2019m not sure they slept much or managed to stomach any food but they weren\u2019t sea sick and they were a joy to have onboard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cumulatively, experienced sailors Enright, Mettraux and Ross have well over 200,000+ nautical miles behind them and have experienced most sailing conditions imaginable. However, it was a different story for Walsh and Hight, who between them experienced a different type of adrenaline to what they\u2019re used to in their respective extreme sports.<\/p>\n
\u201cNon-stop action\u201d<\/p>\n
Backcountry snowboarder, Elena Hight, who had never been overnight on a sailboat before this week commented, \u201cThis has been such an amazing experience. Being so far out and experiencing the power of the ocean out there was incredibly humbling. I believe this type of experience, immersed in the full raw beauty of nature, truly connects us to our Earth. I know that this deep connection is what makes us all want to do our part to protect it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTaking part in the Newport Bermuda Race has allowed me to have full exposure to what an endurance sport offshore sailing really is – it\u2019s been full on, non-stop action, with very little rest since we left Newport. Even just existing on these boats is quite a task. Moving around, eating, sleeping, all things we naturally take for granted when we\u2019re on land are really challenging. Add that to trying to win a race and it\u2019s full throttle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI am most impressed watching this crew take on anything that came their way in these conditions with ease and grace. Despite challenges they worked really well together and kept their calm.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis race has been relentless but truly an incredible experience. I have the utmost respect for this team and all they are aiming to achieve. It has been a pleasure to be a part of 11th Hour Racing Team.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA wild ride\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Red Bull big wave surfer, Ian Walsh, was enthusiastic about the 635-nautical mile race. \u201cThis experience has confirmed what I already thought, which is I have tremendous amounts of respect for this crew and all offshore sailors. The talent of these sailors to be able to read the ocean, the clouds, the wind shifts is inspiring and for me, it\u2019s been a crash course in learning how to sail these highly technical boats.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m in awe of their skills, calm, and professionalism after sailing alongside them for just over a day. I find it amazing that this team will have to race like this for up to 35 days at a time during The Ocean Race. It\u2019s just incredible to have experienced racing like this first-hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cExperiencing the power of the ocean in this way is similar to how I feel when your surfing. You get a very intimate understanding of the ocean and it pulls you away from anything else in your life you might be preoccupied with. Whether you\u2019re surfing a big wave or losing sight of land, you have no choice but to be focused on what is right in front of you. It helps you be more present and in the moment without distraction.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has been a wild ride.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA shared experience\u201d<\/p>\n
Media Crew Member, Amory Ross said: \u201cIntense but great is how I would describe this race. There has been so much to do onboard, it\u2019s been constant.<\/p>\n
\u201cIan and Elena were certainly up to the challenge, it was quite savage conditions coming out of Newport for about a day and a half but they showed progress the whole way. It was impressive to see how interested, engaged and willing to participate they were. It was certainly a shared experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
After a quick turnaround, M\u0101lama will sail back to Newport, Rhode Island, where the team is based until the end of July.<\/p>\n
Follow all updates from 11th Hour Racing Team via the website and across all social media platforms.\u00a0<\/p>\n
About 11th Hour Racing Team<\/strong> CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za International\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n “A wild ride”: Elena Hight and Ian Walsh complete Newport Bermuda Race with 11th Hour Racing Team Submission Details<\/strong><\/p>\n Author<\/strong>: 11th Hour Racing<\/strong> from 11th Hour Racing<\/a>. <\/p>\n Have a look at the online visibility from 06\/19\/2022 to today for “A wild ride”: Elena Hight and Ian Walsh complete Newport Bermuda Race with 11th Hour Racing Team<\/strong>:<\/strong><\/p>\n Hint:<\/strong> Registering on MyPR<\/a> and ensuring that you are logged in when submitting your press release will seamlessly place your releases under your Author Name. OR – Log in HERE<\/a><\/strong>. See our Guidelines<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n11th Hour Racing Team was formed in September 2019 and is led by American offshore sailors Charlie Enright and Mark Towill. Supported by title sponsor 11th Hour Racing, the Team\u2019s mission is to build a high-performance ocean racing team with sustainability at the core of all operations, inspiring positive action among sailing and coastal communities, and global sports fans to create long-lasting change for ocean health. Towill and Enright have competed in the last two editions of The Ocean Race and the team is set to race in the inaugural, fully-crewed IMOCA Class of The Ocean Race 2022-23 with their next-generation race boat – M\u0101lama. Learn more at 11thhourracingteam.org.<\/p>\n
\nMore Info link:<\/strong> <\/a>
\nImages:<\/strong> For a high res version of THIS image<\/em> please contact 11th Hour Racing<\/strong>
\nFacebook:<\/strong> <\/a>
\nTwitter:<\/strong> <\/a><\/p>\n
\n\n
\nSUBMIT Your Press Release HERE<\/h3>\n