Speaking to Boating New Zealand from New York on the eve of departure, Colman confirmed Hume-Merry dislocated his shoulder during a sail drop on the delivery crossing from Europe. The team had hoped he’d recover in time to race, but a closer look at the injury ruled that out, and his focus has shifted to getting better.
“It’s been sad to see him go,” Colman said. “He’s an incredible physical athlete, and also just emotionally and enthusiastically a spectacular human being. It’s been a pleasure to sail with him, and we hope we get the opportunity to sail together again in the future.”
Hume-Merry joined the campaign alongside Anna Merchant and Megan Thomson back in July, as one of three young New Zealanders brought in to learn IMOCA racing at Colman’s side. Stepping into his berth aboard MSIG Europe is Elie Pirnay, who has worked as the team’s Belgian technical and shore crew member but has never raced a Transat or an IMOCA. Colman was upfront about what that means for the crossing.
“We’re introducing a new X-factor,” he said. “At least initially, we’re going to have to carry Ellie a little bit, because he just doesn’t have the same degree of experience, either recent or in other classes. He’s never raced offshore before in any class. But he’s somebody who has impressed me with his dedication to doing a really good job looking after the boat. He knows the team, he knows the boat, he understands the mechanics of getting sails up and down.”
“We decided to go with somebody that we knew,” Colman said, “rather than trying to fly somebody in at the last moment who would present more uncertainty.”
Pirnay hails from French-speaking Belgium and currently lives in Concarneau, in Brittany, France. His arrival keeps Aotearoa Ocean Racing compliant with the Ocean Race Atlantic’s new mandatory 50-50 gender split, joining skipper Colman, co-skippers Anna Merchant and Megan Thomson, and On Board Reporter Georgia Schofield.
Hume-Merry’s next steps, whether that’s returning to New Zealand, heading to France to meet the team on arrival, or something else, are yet to be determined. What is clear, Colman said, is that he won’t be staying in the United States for further treatment.
The change was announced on the team’s Instagram the day before this interview, and comes on top of an already eventful lead-up to the start, with MSIG Europe only recently back in the water after an emergency hull and rudder repair in Newport. Colman and the reshaped crew depart New York on 1 September, racing for Lorient in the inaugural Ocean Race Atlantic.
