THE STORY
On November 21, 2011, during the first leg of the Volvo Ocean Race from Alicante, Spain, to Cape Town, South Africa, PUMA Ocean Racing's yacht, Mar Mostro, suffered a broken mast approximately 2,150 nautical miles from Cape Town. The crew was unharmed, and the team retired from the leg, later recovering all mast pieces and sails. They headed toward Tristan da Cunha for repairs.
TEAMS / PEOPLE:
Puma Ocean Racing, Volvo Ocean Race
WHY IT MATTERS
This incident led to PUMA Ocean Racing's withdrawal from the first leg, highlighting the challenges of offshore racing and the importance of equipment reliability. The team managed to repair and rejoin the race, finishing third overall in the 2011–12 Volvo Ocean Race.