International Jury to hear case between Allagrande Mapei Racing and Holcim PRB Sunday

On Sunday afternoon, the International Jury, appointed by World Sailing, will hear two protests stemming from the collision between Allagrande Mapei and Holcim PRB at the beginning of Leg 1 of The Ocean Race Europe.

Both boats were damaged in the incident and retired from the leg before making repairs and rejoining the race in Portsmouth in time for Leg 2.

Each time filed a protest against the other. On Sunday the Jury will hear from both teams, determine the facts of the incident and apply the Racing Rules of Sailing to assign a penalty, if any.

Often in cases like this, if one team is assigned blame for the incident, the Jury may award Redress of scoring points to compensate the other team that could not compete in the leg through no fault of their own.

Anticipating this possibility, the Jury has also invited all the other teams to give a submission on what redress, if any, should be awarded.

“In bringing all the parties together in one hearing, the International Jury will be able to bring this incident to a close efficiently, with one decision, where all teams have an opportunity to be heard,” explained Race Director Phil Lawrence.

The Jury hearing will begin at 1530 local time on Sunday afternoon in Cartagena, where the teams have just finished the second leg of The Ocean Race Europe. “At this point, we would expect a decision to come the same day,” Lawrence said.

The Jury has also scheduled a second hearing on Sunday afternoon, on a technical protest between the IMOCA class measurers and Holcim PRB, after the team self-reported accidentally breaking the seal on their engine in leg 2. When this happens, the measurer is obliged to bring the incident before the Jury, who will establish whether any penalty is warranted.