The Ocean Race 2022-23 - Leg 5: Updates and live tracker as 11th Hour Racing Team take victory

ByEurosport

Updated 31/05/2023 at 12:54 GMT

11th Hour Racing claimed a superb win on Leg 5 of The Ocean Race 2022-23 after finishing in the early hours of Monday, May 29. High wind conditions in the Atlantic helped three boats break the existing Ocean Race record of 600+ miles in a 24-hour period. With points worth double, it is 11th Hour Racing who take a giant leap towards overall victory in the IMOCA class.

Victorious 11th Hour Racing Team arrive in Aarhus

11th Hour Racing Team have leapfrogged Team Holcim-PRB at the top of the IMOCA standings in The Ocean Race 2022-23 after taking a comfortable victory in the double-points Leg 5 to Aarhus, Denmark.

Team Holcim-PRB came home in second, narrowly ahead of Team Malizia, to stay in contention for the overall title. With two legs remaining, 11th Hour Racing Team are on 28 points with Holcim-PRB on 27.

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Widely regarded as one of the ultimate sporting challenges in any field, The Ocean Race's 14th edition started in Alicante, Spain in January as the IMOCA fleet embarked on a race which will take them more than 60,000km across the globe.

You can follow all the latest developments across The Ocean Race on Eurosport and discovery+.

Meanwhile, you can follow the progress of the boats via our live tracker - and stay up to date with the race via our live updates below:

Wednesday May 21

13:00

Biotherm have completed Leg 5, and received four points in the double points leg, after the course was shortened for the team.

In accordance with the Sailing Instructions, which allow the Race Committee to shorten the course for boats still racing, the finish line for Biotherm was moved to longitude 0-degrees.

The team, who crossed the new finish at 10:37 UCT on Wednesday in fourth place, will now continue to sail to Aarhus, which is 480 miles away.

Monday May 29

15:31

What about Biotherm?

Good question. The remaining boat in the fleet is still some four days away from Aarhus and is expected to dock on June 2.

In the meantime, catch up with the best of the reaction from the three crews at the Leg 5 finish.

11:17

Team Malizia skipper Boris Herrmann was not remotely dejected with finishing third, praising the atmosphere onboard as his team smashed the 24-hour distance record.

Asked if he was upset about third place, Herrmann replied: "I think it was excellent sport, excellent yachting, excellent racing. That's the first priority for us and we delivered that. We were 0.5 miles [away at the end] and it's just nice to know we were so close."

09:57

Let's hear now from 11th Hour Racing Team skipper Charlie Enright, who said there is cause for all teams to be happy after a bruising trip across the Atlantic.

'It's a fight' - Enright after his 11th Hour Racing Team win Leg 5

09:41

11th Hour Racing Team may have taken the victory on Leg 5, but Team Malizia are also toasting success after smashing the 24-hour distance record on a wild trip across the Atlantic.

“It’s super special that we broke the record. We showed everyone that we’ve built a fast boat. Every team member is contributing something to the performance and I’m very glad we can show this on the water," said Rosalin Kuiper.

Malizia covered an astonishing 641.13 nautical miles in 24 hours.

“It’s special because we will remember it for a long, long time,” added Yann Elies.

'Super special we broke it' - Kuiper on smashing 24-hour distance record

09:18

We just caught up with Holcim-PRB sailor Abby Ehler, who admits Leg 5 took its toll.

"It felt like a complete sprint of a race. It was so intense. I feel more shattered than after Leg 3 in the Southern Ocean! I don't know if that was down to the conditions, it was violent, noisy and uncomfortable on board. Your energy levels just get zapped."

09:00

All change at the top of the IMOCA standings as 11th Hour Racing Team lead the way after back-to-back wins.

The Ocean Race 2022-23 IMOCA standings (as of May 29, 2023)

08:48

That winning feeling!

08:30 - Malizia come home third

Team Malizia were so close to snatching second, but they ran out of water and have to settle for third place.

08:25 - Holcim-PRB take second

Team Holcim-PRB come across the finish in Aarhus to take second ahead of the fast-finishing Team Malizia.

It's been a difficult couple of legs for the team, who also dismasted during Leg 4 to see their overall lead disintegrate.

03:56 - 11th Hour Racing Team win Leg 5

Overnight, 11th Hour Racing Team cruised into Aarhus, Denmark to take a comprehensive victory on Leg 5 at 02:56 UTC (03:56 GMT).

With double points at stake on the run from Newport, Rhode Island, it means Charlie Enright's team have leapfrogged Team Holcim-PRB into top spot in the IMOCA class.

Behind, the remaining boats are squabbling over second with Team Holcim-PRB, who have just seen their overall lead disappear, trying to hold off Team Malizia.

“It was a tricky leg! It was one of those legs where we spent a lot of time looking at the weather before the start and it looked like it was going to be either a quick trip or it was going to be quite a complicated trip and luckily it turned out to be the quicker trip," said 11th Hour Racing navigator Simon Fisher.

"We went into this leg knowing that we needed to be aggressive and we knew we needed to have a good result in this leg to stand a chance in the race. So we tried to sail aggressively and we sailed our own race.

"I am very happy to say it worked it nicely - everybody did a tremendous job.

"We got some pretty gnarly conditions as well on the top of Scotland and just to keep the pace on through those conditions when it gets pretty difficult and tricky in these boats, it was impressive, everybody did an amazing job!

"These boats are incredible in conditions with big winds and flat water. We got used to going 30 knots so during the last few days when we slowed down to 18 it felt that we were parked!"

Sunday May 28

19.25 - Arrival expected between 3.30 and 7AM

With 11th Hour Racing Team continuing to hold their steady lead, Aarhus is getting ever closer. The teams are expected to arrive in port in the early hours of Monday morning.

16.15 - 11th Hour Racing pulling away

The gap is widening now and there is little suspense about which crew will take the 5th stage: only a few hours from Aarhus, 11th Hour Racing Team have a gap of 27.8 nm from Holcim-PRB. Charlie Enright's crew are passing south of Norway and will soon head towards the finish in Denmark.

12:00

The Race report for Sunday is here!

Catch up all the action.

The Ocean Race - Race Report 28/05 - Things get tactical with coastal racing

Saturday May 27

22.15 - Passing Scotland, 11th Hour Racing Team hold lead

It is a highly competitive and closely contested race, but only one clear leader: 11th Hour Racing Team continue to lead the race in this fifth leg as the boats are now just above the Orkney Islands. Charlie Enright's crew still have a lead of 7.03 nm over Holcim-PRB and 16.4 nm over Team Malizia.

17:01 - Is a Malizia upset possible?

Team Malizia continues to close in. Boris Herrmann's crew is now just 14.1 nautical miles behind the leader, 11th Hour Racing Team. Holcim-PRB is still lying in wait at 8.5 nm. However, there is little hope left for Biotherm.

11:45

The Race Report for today is here! And yes you gussed it, it's about more records being broken.

The Ocean Race - Race Report 27/05 - The records keep getting broken!

9:30 - Records continue to be broken

Team Malizia has made waves in the Ocean Race by smashing the 24-hour monohull distance record.

It surpasses the previous record set by Team Holcim-PRB.

Team Malizia's incredible feat, which showcases their sailing prowess and determination, was skippered by Boris Herrmann.

The team managed a distance of 641.08 nautical miles, with the potential for further increases.

Friday May 26

22:50 - 11th Hour Racing Team give injury update

After their collision earlier on Leg 5, there was concern for crew members Charlie Dalin and Ross Amory.

On Twitter, there was an update for the state of play for them both.

The team are "doing fine" but Ross is in his bunk with a shoulder injury, and Dalin is back "in the watch system".

ICYMI - 11th Hour Racing Team races on after incident

11th Hour Racing Team hit an object in the water and activated its Hazard Button to alert Race Control on Thursday. However, they will continue racing.

Here is the statement from the team:

"At 1541 UTC on Thursday, May 25, while racing in Leg 5 of The Ocean Race, 11th Hour Racing Team activated its Hazard Button to alert Race Control and the wider fleet they had hit something, suspected to be a marine mammal or megafauna.

"The Team was in the mid-North Atlantic Ocean at 52°N, 35°W – approximately 750 nautical miles [863 miles/1,389 km] off the coast of Newfoundland, sailing at 29 knots [33mph/54 kmph], in 28+ knots [32 mph/52 kmph] of wind speed – some of the fastest conditions yet seen in the race.

"The impact was sudden, and the crew onboard were thrown forward, causing two injuries onboard. Trimmer Charlie Dalin (FRA) has a suspected mild concussion, and Media Crew Member Amory Ross (USA) has injured his shoulder. The Race’s on-call Doctor – Dr. Spike Briggs – has spoken to the sailors onboard the boat by satellite phone. Dr. Briggs has prescribed painkillers, bunk rest, and plenty of water to hydrate, and is monitoring the situation closely. The two sailors are reported to be comfortable, and their next of kin have been informed."

11:45

Daily Race Report is here!

The Ocean Race Daily Report 26/05 - Records tumbling everywhere!

08:45

Team Holcim-PRB have shattered existing 24-hour distance records in a remarkable day at The Ocean Race.

First to fall was The Ocean Race record of 602 nautical miles, set in the last race by Team AkzoNobel.

A few hours later and the outright monohull record of 618 nautical miles had been eclipsed. It was originally set by the 100 footer Comanche in 2015.

On Friday morning UK time, it was confirmed that Team Holcim-PRB had crushed the IMOCA record, The Ocean Race’s record and the overall monohull record with 640.91 nautical miles completed.

Read our full story here.

Thursday May 25

16:15

After a spell facing tough weather, a strong downwind and calm water conditions has led to talk of a 24-hour distance record being set.

11th Hour Racing Team are currently leading the race, and have been posting improved times hour by hour.

"We've got plenty of wind, there's a bit more pressure than forecast, and it's still a little bumpy, but we got out across the front earlier than the other guys which seems to be a gain for now," said 11th Hour Racing Team's skipper Charlie Enright. "And we just had 31 knots as a 10-minute average, which isn't nothing."

Team Holcim-PRB and Team Malizia are second and third respectively, and working hard to keep pace.

"The three first boats are sailing around the high pressure weather system in strong southerly winds, while Biotherm couldn't cross the front and is in upwind conditions," said race meteorologist Christian Dumard. "For the leaders, the wind could still be quite strong through Friday, before it shifts to the northwest."

Biotherm’s Alan Roberts said: “It's been tough for us, we got caught behind the fleet in the light winds leaving Newport and we've since had some technical issues on board - the autopilot and our electronics

"The sea state has been pretty messy so we've had to back off in the nasty conditions... It is what it is. All we can do is to keep going as fast as possible in the weather conditions we have.”

15:00

Difficult start for Biotherm continues – Ocean Race Report

11:30

Paul Meilhat and his Biotherm crew are having a difficult start to Leg 5.

They were trapped by light winds and foul currents after the start in Newport and have struggled to stay in touch with the race leaders.

They have now suffered more misfortune yesterday following a malfunction in the steering system and a broken sail.

The result? They are now separated from the lead group – which has forced them to take a gamble by sailing an alternative route to the north.

11th Hour Racing lead the race. Holcim-PRB are second, some 31.5 nautical miles in arrears, with Team Malizia 82.9 nautical miles shy of the leaders. Biotherm are 220.2 nautical miles behind 11th Hour Racing.

Wednesday May 24

15:00

Here's the latest update from Leg 5...

Race report, May 24: Low pressure system continues to challenge fleet

08:30

It's been swift progress for the boats across the Atlantic overnight thanks to strong northerly winds, but the sea state is making for a bumpy ride.

"The weather system that cancelled the In-Port race on Saturday has been lurking out here over the open ocean... We find ourselves in the middle of it," said Charlie Enright, skipper of current Leg 5 leaders 11th Hour Racing Team.

"It's hard to forecast, it's really volatile and it's really windy. We've had wind in the mid to high 30s at times and experienced a shift of 40-degrees. You can imagine what that does to the sea state in a place that's already quite treacherous. We're just trying to ride it out."

Tuesday May 23

13:00

Things are getting tougher for the four boats, as the arduous Atlantic Ocean conditions begin to take their toll. Check out the daily race report here:

Race Report, May 23: Brutal conditions as boats tackle the open ocean

08:30

Fresh from their Leg 4 win, 11th Hour Racing Team are setting the early pace as the teams motor into the Atlantic.

With just under 3,000 nautical miles left to race, here were the teams' respective positions as of 08:00 UK time this morning:

Monday May 22

17:55

Some updates from the crews, now. Malizia skipper Borris Herrmann said on Sunday night: "It's been a nice start. We have the spinnaker up, but the wind is turning to the right so we will have to change to a flatter sail.

"We can see 11th Hour Racing Team over there, so it's all very good. Quite gentle sailing."

Kein Escoffier on Team Holcim-PRB, is optimistic.

"The leaders touched the wind shifting forward first (out of Newport), and we were able to come back a bit. But then we fell into a light spot and they gained, but we are within about a mile of Malizia, so it's good," he said.

16:45

11th Hour have now moved into the lead, with a 7km nm lead over Holcim-PRB.

Behind them, by just 0.4nm, is Team Malizia. Biotherm are in fourth spot 15.1nm back, with GUYOT environnement - Team Europe not in the race.

12:00

Team Malizia and 11th Hour Racing Team are neck-and-neck, albeit on different paths, with the pair trading the lead throughout the early running.

11:00

The race is on to be first to Aarhus, Denmark!

Race Report, May 22: Team Malizia win In-Port race as fleet leaves Newport

Sunday May 21

22:50

It was a dramatic end, as Team Malizia edged over the winning line to claim victory in the In-Port race at the start of Leg 5 and the highlights are here.

Highlights of In-Port race and start of Leg 5 as Team Malizia claim win

21:00

Hear from Team Holcim-PRB's Abby Ehler on that early close call between her boat and that of Team Malizia...

20:45

Team Malizia take five points for their triumph, with the current Leg 5 departure standings here:

1. Team Malizia

2. 11th Hour Racing Team

3. Team Holcim-PRB

4. Biotherm

20:30

Team Malizia have done enough! They trickle over the line to win the In-Port race to kick off Leg 5!

11th Hour Racing Team follow them over the line not far behind.

20:20

Drama here as Team Malizia seem to have more or less parked up just yards before the In-Port finish line as they hit a wind shadow. This should have been a procession for the German boat but it's a lifeline for 11th Hour Racing Team! Or will they get stuck in the same area?

20:10

This was a pretty jaw-dropping moment...

20:00

Malizia round mark three well in the lead, followed by 11th Hour Racing. There is a long old gap to Team Holcim-PRB and Biotherm in third and fourth respectively.

19:50

Those two boats - Team Malizia and 11th Hour Racing Team - are still out in front as they travel under the amazing Newport Bridge which frames Narragansett Bay.

Which way will this one go?

19:40

And that's Team Malizia into the lead as they round mark 2 ahead of 11th Hour Racing - what a line they took there!

19:30

The field is bunching up! Team Malizia are now right on the shoulder of 11th Hour Racing Team - they could do worse than follow the route of Charlie Enright's boat, who know these waters so well.

19:25

11th Hour Racing Team continue to make the pace early on, storming along at 12 knots per hour and rounding Mark 1 in first. For now, the order is:

1. 11th Hour Racing Team

2. Team Malizia (+179 metres behind)

3. Biotherm (+393m)

4. Team Holcim-PRB (+537m)

19:20

The wind has suddenly dropped and the boats are trickling along the In-Port course for now. Given they only started minutes ago, there are already some pretty big gaps between the boats...

19:17

Drama at the start as Team Malizia pull an overtake on Team Holcim-PRB and come extremely close to hitting the Committee boat marking the start line! That was tight!

19:15

Leg 5 of The Ocean Race 2022-23 is underway! And it's a wonderful start by 11th Hour Racing Team!

19:10

Five minutes until Leg 5 is go. A reminder that we begin with the In-Port race...

19:05

10 minute countdown to the start...

Quick weather watch:

Conditions: Sunny
Temperature: 20 Degrees Celsius
Humidity: 49%
Wind: 18 KPH W

18:50

It's been a wonderful send-off for the four boat crews...

The Ocean Race 2022-23 - 21 May 2023. Dock out for the In-Port and start of Leg 5 in Newport. Team Malizia.

Image credit: Other Agency

The Ocean Race 2022-23 - 21 May 2023. Sailors parade for Leg 5 in Newport. Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong passing the Baton to Team Malizia skipper Boris Herrmann.

Image credit: Other Agency

The Ocean Race 2022-23 - 21 May 2023. Dock out for the In-Port and start of Leg 5 in Newport.

Image credit: Other Agency

18:45

11th Hour Racing Team are now making for the open water...lots of support for the home town team!

18:30

A reminder that you can watch live coverage with us as of now - just follow the player link above!

18:25

Next to dock out are Team Malizia...

18:15

Right then, who are you backing from the three-way battle? Or can Biotherm spring a surprise?

18:05

Great scenes as Team Holcim-PRB - having dismasted in Leg 4 - are back on the start line. Their boat looks gleaming in the Newport sun as they begin their dock-out.

17:45

Buckle up everyone!

17:30

For anyone wondering why we haven't had a chat with Guyot Environnement - Team Europe, they haven't made the start line for Leg 5 .

Their skipper Benjamin Dutreux said this week that they are determined to return to the race, but have a "lot of work" to do, with their boat being sent to Europe for repairs.

17:10

Last but by no means least, let's hear now from Boris Herrmann, whose Team Malizia are right in the hunt for overall victory with just three legs to go.

Herrmann said: “Leg 5 is an exciting one. It is an iconic, ocean racing leg, and there is excitement up to the finish.

"Currently, things couldn’t go any better for our team and for the race as a whole. We are now in joint second position on the scoreboard with 11th Hour Racing Team, only one point behind Team Holcim-PRB so almost on equal points. We have everything to race for. Biotherm is not too far behind, they could come back into the podium game.

Boris Herrmann

Image credit: Getty Images

"Anything can happen, we need to stay focused and keep up the good work.”

17:00

In the latest skipper interview, Leg 4-winning Charlie Enright of 11th Hour Racing Team says now is the time to "push, push, push".

“This feels like a reset, like a brand new race," he said, ahead of the Leg 5 start. "You race differently when the scores are different. Our win here was absolutely amazing, but I don’t want our team thinking that’s the pinnacle of the race. It was a good feeling, but if we do what we are setting out to do, there’s a better feeling waiting for us [at the end of the race] in July.

“The question is how much risk are we willing to take? You all know how many struggles we had in Leg 3, how many technical difficulties, and that meant we weren’t able to race in the way we wanted to.

"Leg 4 has shown that we can deliver, and we’re in the right place in terms of reliability - now is the time to push, push, push."

16:30

It's the turn of Biotherm skipper Paul Meihat to come in front of the microphones now, and though his team are down in fourth in the overall leaderboard, he is bullish about performing well on the latest leg of this "crazy adventure".

“It’s a bit rough because we’re just off the pace," Meilhat said. "We’re making progress, but so are our rivals. It’s kind of hard because it feels like we’re playing with different weapons to the others. Our focus is more on project management.

The Ocean Race 2022-23 - 2 March 2023, Leg 3 onboard Biotherm. Paul Meilhat watching the sunset.

Image credit: Eurosport

"Beyond that, we knew what we were getting into and we have to accept it. We need to keep our heads down and focused on our goals. Being here, being a part of this crazy adventure, is already quite something and we’re doing really well.

"Added to that, we’re alive, we’re not far behind the others and there are 10 points up for grabs in this leg.”

16:00

Team Holcim-PRB lead the overall standings by just one point from 11th Hour Racing Team, despite .

Hear now from their skipper Kevin Escoffier on how repairs on his boat have gone, and how he is looking ahead to Leg 5.

"Obviously the first few days, we will have to regain confidence in our rig, even if the work of the technical team has been impressive," Escoffier said. "In just a few days, we've managed to get a boat back into an impressive state of performance and racing.

"All the boats are progressing. 11th Hour Racing Team has just put back its pair of V2 foils and has just put on new sails. Malizia has improved in speed.

"We will have to be at 100% of our skills, at 100% of the boat to hope to win in Aarhus. That's normal. It's a very high-level race, and that's why we're here. We have the crew for that, we have the boat for that, we have the team for that."

The Ocean Race 2022-23 - 23, April 2023, Leg 4 onboard Team Holcim - PRB. Skipper Kevin Escoffier giving instructions via his headset.

Image credit: Other Agency

15:45

It was an extra special Leg 4 win for 11th Hour Racing Team in Newport, with their skipper Charlie Enright hailing from Rhode Island.

Here he was reacting to his team's momentous win, and getting home...

'Truly wild!' - Enright reacts to home win in Leg 4 alongside daughter Maggie

15:00

Here's a quick reminder of The Ocean Race 2022-23 leg schedule, and which team have won each so far. Four down, three to go...

Leg 1 - Alicante to Cabo Verde - Winner: Team Holcim-PRB
Leg 2 - Cabo Verde to Cape Town - Winner: Team Holcim-PRB
Leg 3 - Cape Town to Itajai - Winner: Team Malizia
Leg 4 - Itajai to Newport - Winner: 11th Hour Racing Team
Leg 5 - Newport to Aarhus - Begins today, May 21
Leg 6 - Aarhus to The Hague
Leg 7 - The Hague to Genova

14:45

We are edging nearer the start of Leg 5, and here is all the info you need to watch the action live...

13:30

Before the action gets going later, let's look back at all the arrivals in Newport that brought Leg 4 to a close. Treacherous weather conditions, two dismastings and a home winner made it a leg nobody will forget in a hurry...

‘Pretty amazing!’ – Watch the arrivals in Newport after Leg 4 of the Ocean Race

11:00

After yesterday's postponement, the In-Port Race will effectively be the inshore component of the Leg 5 start on Sunday.

Racing is scheduled to begin at 2:15pm local time - follow it all live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com.

SATURDAY MAY 20

17:30

The update we had all feared has dropped in, and sadly there will be no In-Port Race for us today. The weather in Newport, Rhode Island is not safe enough for the organisers to proceed with confidence.

The official statement reads: "Due to deteriorating weather, Saturday's In-Port Race in Newport has been postponed and will take place on Sunday, ahead of the start of Leg 5.

"Safety is a top priority for The Ocean Race. With a forecast for increasing winds, deteriorating visibility and rain squalls with very strong gusts, it has been decided to postpone the In Port Race until Sunday.

"The weather forecast is for good racing conditions on Sunday and the In Port Race will be incorporated into the race course for the Leg 5 start."

15:00

There has been no indication yet, officially, that the race in-port will be called off. That could change abruptly but for now it's business as usual.

8:20

There's a potential cancellation that needs to be considered this morning. There is a significant storm expected, at the same time as the In-Port race.

We'll expect a decision early today about whether the race should go ahead, but it is not expected to start the departure of Leg 5 proper on May 21.

Welcome

Hello and welcome to Eurosport's live coverage of Leg 5 of The Ocean race 2022-23.

This is the penultimate stage of the race and is going to be a particularly important one because points will count double on this leg. All eyes will be on the tense battle at the top where leaders Team Holcim-PRB have had to speed through emergency repairs to their boat after a dismasting on Leg 4. Can 11th Hour Racing Team or Team Malizia, both just one point behind the leaders, make a move?

Before all that starts on Sunday though we have the In-Port race later today!