GYBE

They and MAPFRE also suffered Chinese gybes last week.

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (ADOR) also endured a drama-filled night, reporting a aACAynight of two gybes: a wild one in pitch black with a massive wipeout' and then a aACAycontrolled one at 30 knots' on a turbulent Leg 5.

A few gybes later I was removed from the helm as the novice sailors gave it a crack and I took care of the trim.

There were no injuries but damage to the boat included a broken wheel which will handicap Charles Caudrelier's crew when they gybe, the push pit (the protective bars at the back of the boat), aft stanchions (the posts on the side of the boat at the back) and a satellite antenna.

"In one we got pinned out first by the Brazilians, and then in the final start the wind headed a little bit and I tried a risky move, and got under the fleet and pinned out again, and had to gybe round while everyone was racing.

Brunel opted to continue on our original southerly route and not gybe west.

In Jan's words, "the gigantic swell was reflecting back off Middle Head making some truly humungous waves too difficult to gybe in.

We didn't do any damage, but we did have a broach and a Chinese gybe, but nothing broke.