Enda O’Coineen Dismasted 180 Miles South East of New Zealand

1 January 2017

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Irish sailor Enda O’Coineen who is racing in 15th place in the Vendée Globe solo round the world race which started in Les Sables d’Olonne, France on Sunday 6th November reported to Race Direction in Paris at 0830hrs UTC today (Sunday 1st January) that the mast of his IMOCA Kilcullen Voyager-Team Ireland has broken.

Positioned some 180 nautical miles to the south east of Dunedin, New Zealand Enda O’Coineen, 60, was racing in 35kts of SSE wind when the rig broke. The skipper is uninjured and reported that he was starting to secure his boat and the broken pieces of the rig and planned to head to New Zealand which, in the current weather situation, is downwind for him.

“I am devastated. Things were going quite well. O’Coineen said, “I was in good shape. Having got this far I felt we could handle anything. There was just that little malfunction of the self-steering that set a whole train in motion. I have to accept responsibility. What happens, happens.”

About Enda O’Coineen

Enda O’Coineen, born on 15 October 1955 in Galway, is an Irish sailor, navigator and skipper.

He acquired Mike Goling IMOCA 60 and renamed it “Kilcullen Voyager – Team Ireland”. He was the first Irishman to enter the Vendee Globe he participated in the 2016-2017 Vendée Globe he broke the mast near New Zealand and had to retire.