VOR: Vestas replaces mast ahead of next leg in Volvo Ocean Race

ITAJAÍ, BRAZIL – Vestas 11th Hour Racing replaced its broken mast on Wednesday, two days after the 65-foot sloop arrived in Itajai, Brazil, following a journey of 1,200 nautical miles from the remote Falkland Islands under a jury rig. The crew hopes to be back on water Thursday for a shakedown sail. It might not be ready for the in-port race on Friday, but it intends to be on the line Sunday for the start of Leg 8. There will be added motivation because the destination, Newport, Rhode Island, is the team's home port."It's certainly a frustrating experience," skipper Charlie Enright said Wednesday. "We feel when we've been sailing, we've done a pretty good job. Things out of our control have kept us from being competitively relevant on the overall leaderboard, but that hasn't shaken our resolve. There's a lot of race left to go and we're keen to make sure this unbelievable story ends on a good note." –Excerpt from another excellent article by Bernie Wilson of the Associated Press wire service that is appearing in papers, and on websites, around the world today.

Read Mr Wilson's full story here, courtesy of the Tampa Bay Times. And check out this cool, and brief (25 seconds), timelapse video of the new stick going into the Vestas yacht in Itajaí yesterday, courtesy of the Vestas 11th Hour Facebook page.

Photos courtesy of the Vestas 11th Hour Racing Facebook page.