A British yachtswoman was preparing to resume a solo round-the-world race today after an injured fellow competitor was rescued.
Sam Davies (33), diverted to head towards French sailor Yann Elies who fractured his thigh bone when a large wave hit his yacht in the Vendee Globe race.
She was beaten to the Frenchman’s side this morning by an Australian navy ship which was sent to help the stricken sailor.
The HMAS Aruntareached Mr Elies' yacht the Generaliat about 9.40am and an inflatable boat was sent to the sailor's aid, race organisers said.
At around 10.50am Mr Elies was safely transferred from the Generalito the Arunta.
Marc Guillemot, another competitor who changed course to assist Mr Elies, told race organisers: “Some highly professional work. They prepared Yann for the transfer. Still heavy swell but they carried out manoeuvre perfectly. Yann is now aboard the frigate and doctor taking care of him.”
Ms Davies said yacht racing was “an amazing sport” because of the way in which competitors supported each other.
“We all know that most of the time we are our nearest rescuers and although it’s a race and we are all dying to win, at the end of the day the health and safety of the competitors, who are our good friends, is the most important thing,” she told Sky News.
“I don’t think anyone would hesitate to go and help someone who was having a problem.”
The Vendee Globe team said Mr Elies would be taken to a military hospital in the western Australian city of Perth.
A doctor is also on board to treat him.
Generaliwas left by the crew and the Vendee Globe race directors will continue to monitor the yacht's position until a crew arrives to sail it back to the Australian coast.
Race organisers had asked Ms Davies and French sailor Mr Guillemot to assist Mr Elies by giving him psychological support.
Mr Elies was said to be in serious pain following the incident 800 miles off the coast of south Australia.
Ms Davies, a Cambridge engineering graduate, earlier said she was “ready for anything” in her efforts to assist Mr Elies.
“It is one of the phone calls that I hoped I would never receive - to find out a fellow competitor and good friend is injured and suffering,” she said.
“My bruised elbow suddenly became insignificant although having so recently been hurt, alone on Roxy, I can understand what Yann must be going through only too well.”
Ms Davies smashed her elbow on a winch transmission box after a sail-tie she was holding broke on Thursday. It hurt her so much that she passed out and regained consciousness on the floor, under Roxy’s cockpit. She then had a severe bout of nausea from the ensuing pain.
About 300,000 people waved off the 30 yachts which started the Vendee Globe from Les Sables d’Olonne in France in November.
Unlike the Velux Oceans Race, which breaks the event up into three legs, the Vendee Globe is a non-stop 27,000-mile race across some very inhospitable stretches of ocean.
More than a third of the boats that entered the 2004/05 race were forced to retire, and there were fatalities in the 1992/93 and 1996/97 events.
PA