A brutal night for MotorBoat II
At 6:19pm on Sunday, MotorBoat II reported a violent broach in gusty conditions that caused a cascade of onboard damage. A sudden spike in wind — hitting 28 knots — tipped the boat off balance while under full mainsail and masthead spinnaker. “We were doing about 16 knots when the boat just went under,” Alan told us, visibly shaken. “It pitchpoled — straight down the face of the wave.”
The impact caused the mainsail to flog violently, breaking a batten and leading to the loss of crucial equipment including winch handles and headlamps. At 6:50pm, with damage assessed and limited capacity to continue safely, the crew made the tough call to retire. “We’re just happy to still be here,” Alan said. The boat is now safely anchored in Yaté and will make her way back to Nouméa today.
It’s a disappointing early exit for one of New Zealand’s two representatives, but a smart decision under the circumstances — underscoring the demanding nature of this 654-nautical-mile circumnavigation.
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V5 Racing holds the lead in the monohull division
With MotorBoat II out, all eyes are now on V5 Racing, the TP52 skippered by Brian Petersen, which has been steadily gaining ground. Having passed the Balade checkpoint and now heading toward the Grand Passage, V5 sits at the head of the monohull fleet in terms of line honours. The boat, representing both the Royal Akarana and Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadrons, has been showcasing its offshore pedigree in the challenging conditions, balancing speed with control as the fleet claws its way up the east coast.
The Grand Passage — the narrow northern tip where currents and swell converge — is the next major test. Tactically, this leg can be decisive. Boats that can negotiate it cleanly without losing time in transitions often gain a crucial advantage before the grind back south along the western coast.
Two boats down, 21 remain
MotorBoat II’s retirement isn’t the only one. Kalolo has also withdrawn due to steering issues — specifically rudder failure after multiple dropouts during the first night. Despite valiant repair efforts, the crew made the call to withdraw for safety reasons. The remaining 21 boats are still racing, though the fleet has scattered across a wide section of ocean.
Boats like Rushour — the leading multihull — have already crossed the Grand Passage and are making good speed down the west coast. Behind them, Roamance and Poulpito Sailing Team continue to push hard, despite onboard challenges including broken blocks and Starlink system outages. Spirits remain high throughout the fleet, with humour prevailing even as conditions test every crew member.
Whales, chili, and torn sails
From the lighter side of offshore racing, some amusing — and very human — moments are emerging. Snatch n’ Furious reported a close encounter with baby whales, capturing more giggles than footage. On Défi des Filles, fish have been landing on deck — none of them dinner-worthy, but all good for morale.
Meanwhile, over on Poulpito, the most serious casualty so far might be Malo’s chili con carne, reportedly served too al dente for tired sailors. “It raised more eyebrows than spinnakers,” joked one crew member.
Team Young Guns hasn’t been spared either — their heavy-duty spinnaker is now in tatters, ripped during a night squall. All part of the ride in one of the South Pacific’s most dynamic offshore races.
Eyes on the finish
As of Monday afternoon, the race remains wide open. While V5 currently leads the monohull charge, the margins are slim, and the west coast return is notorious for reshuffling the fleet. Weather models suggest softer conditions ahead, which could favour lighter boats or those that chose to head further offshore earlier on.
It’s been a dramatic start to the 2025 Groupama Race, with everything from retirements to tactical gambits in play. For the Kiwis, it’s now a solo mission for V5 — but the team is rising to the challenge, with New Zealand’s ocean racing legacy firmly in sight.
