Team Delta Lloyd are back on the water and sailing four days after their yacht's hull was damaged during the in-port race on Saturday. Ger O'Rourke's preparations for Saturday's first leg start were dealt an untimely blow on Alicante Bay when Team Russia speared bow-first into Delta Lloyd during the start of the second race.
It left a sizeable puncture hole towards the back end of the hull on the starboard side, but, after an intensive repair operation, the boat returned to the water at 0930 this morning for a two-hour sail.
O'Rourke's shore team now have some minor alterations to make to their set-up, but the skipper says he is happy with their progress ahead of the 6,500-nautical mile trip to Cape Town.
The team are currently weighing up whether to have another sail on Thursday morning.
Team Russia, meanwhile, have nearly finished repairs to the damage they sustained in the collision.
Their yacht suffered a cracked spray rail on the starboard side when they hit the committee boat in the immediate aftermath of their tussle with Delta Lloyd.
The boat is expected to return to the water this evening with skipper Andreas Hanakamp hoping to do some more sailing before the leg start.
North-easterly gusts in excess of 30 knots are forecast on Thursday, while heavy rain and slightly gentler easterly winds are expected throughout Friday.
There's a photo of the moment of impact here
