[MHml] Ross capsizes

[Bill Gibbs]

And also...

Ross Hobson in dramatic overnight rescue

At 21.00 hrs GMT last night (Tuesday 7th November) morse satellite signals
from the twin EPIRBs (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons) carried
aboard Ross Hobson's racing yacht Ideal Stelrad were detected by Falmouth
Coastguard. An immediate response was initiated, coordinated jointly between
HM Coastguard Falmouth and US Coastguard Norfolk, Virginia USA.

Vessels in the vicinity - 1750 miles off the east coast of the USA - were
diverted to the yacht's last known position in conditions that were
described as "horrendous". 50 knot headwinds from the north east were
reported, generating wave heights of between 15 to 20 feet.

At 02.15 GMT Adam Kaijser, Master of Spanish freighter "Carmen" was on
station and reported seeing a white flashing light and a red distress flare
and at 03.07 the upturned - but still floating - hull of Ideal Stelrad was
identified.

By 04.30 GMT the freighter reported that a single crewman, Ross Hobson, was
safely aboard.

The hull of the yacht was abandoned and left to the mercy of the sea and the
Spanish motor vessel Carmen reset course for Santander, Spain and is
expected to arrive on Sunday 12th November.

The organising committee of the Route du Rhum yacht race were kept informed
at all times and this incident is the latest in a string of high-profile
casualties of the particularly bad north Atlantic weather.

John Colling, Director of Marketing at Ideal Stelrad, sponsors of Ross
Hobson during the Route du Rhum gave a message of support to Ross and his
family earlier this morning - "After a sleepless night, we are all relieved
to know that Ross is alive and well and we look forward to seeing him again
when he arrives back in England". 

Bill 

-----Original Message-----
From: multihulls-bounces at steamradio.com
[mailto:multihulls-bounces at steamradio.com] On Behalf Of graeme at kizio.com
Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2006 12:21 AM
To: multihulls at steamradio.com
Subject: [MHml] Ross capsizes

I've just picked this up from the Daily Sail. :(

Graeme

Hobson capsizes

British trimaran skipper safe and sound after mid-Atlantic rescue

Newcastle orthodontist Ross Hobson, racing the Class 3 trimaran Ideal
Stelrad in the Route du Rhum capsized last night at around 2300GMT, 1,760
miles from the finish line.
The skipper immediately set off his distress beacons but has been unable to
communicate. 

The Race Committee have been liasing with the CROSS Gris Nez, the MRCC in
France, who have diverted two cargo ships to assist Hobson. At 0500GMT the
Race Committee were informed that Hobson had been successfully rescued and
had been brought on board the cargo ship Carmen. The ship is bound for Spain
where she is due to dock on 12 November. 

Hobson, a past winner of the two handed Round Britain and Ireland Race and a
class winner in the 2003 Transat Jacques Vabre, the Rolex Fastnet Race and
the Round the Island Race, was racing the 40ft Rowsell and Morrison built
trimaran, Nic Bailey originally designed and campaigned to a class win in
the 1988 Carlsberg One-STAR, transatlantic race. Under two different owners
the boat has since been a double winner of the Royal Western YC's Round
Britain and Ireland Race.
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