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6
 mins read

11th Hour Racing Team secures victory in The Ocean Race at the eleventh hour

published
July 21, 2023
location
USA
discipline
Sailing

11th Hour Racing Team secures victory in The Ocean Race at the eleventh hour

11th Hour Racing Team secures victory in The Ocean Race at the eleventh hour

published
July 21, 2023
location
USA
discipline
Sailing
6
 mins read
WORDS
Joe Batchelor
PHOTOS
11th Hour Racing Team

Now that the wind is settled on the 14th edition of The Ocean Race, let’s look back on the final moments leading up to 11th Hour Racing Team’s historic triumph – becoming the first U.S. based team to win professional sailing’s most coveted offshore trophy!

‍

With a nail-biting four point victory confirmed while en route to Genova, Italy news sparked jubilant celebrations around the world when they entered the port to cap their grueling circumnavigation of the globe. The fate of 11th Hour Racing Team was up in the air until June 29, when an International Sailing jury met to discuss the team’s leaderboard placing following the horrific accident involving GUYOT Environment - Team Europe at the start of the final leg of the race.

‍

American skipper Charlie Enright said: “I’m incredibly proud of our whole team who have worked tirelessly for three years to get to this point. To be the first U.S. team to lift this trophy is an exceptional honor, and to share the message and showcasing action and innovation for ocean health has made this a truly impactful, global campaign.”

The images and videos of the relieved crew lifting the engraved trophy only tell half the story though. Victory was far from plain sailing and to understand fully, we need to rewind to The Netherlands, and in particular, the port of The Hague.

‍

They say strength is built through adversity and never has an old adage felt quite so apt than in the moments after setting sail on Leg 6. As Enright commented afterwards, “there have been some incredible highs, but also lows that have knocked us all.”

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Charlie Enright
“To be the first U.S. team to lift this trophy is an exceptional honor.”

Leading the standings after three spectacular leg wins in a row, Enright knew that overall victory would be secured if they finished no less than two boats behind their closest rivals Holcim-PRB.

‍

But elite sport can be a cruel place and just 17-minutes into the final leg and while still navigating the two-lap inshore departure section, disaster struck when 11th Hour Racing Team was hit at (racing) speed by competitors GUYOT environment – Team Europe.

‍

Thankfully no crew on either team suffered any physical injuries but the collision left Mālama with a gaping hole on its aft, port section meaning a return to the dock was the only viable, albeit heart-breaking, option. To add salt to the wound, race rules stipulated that no team could suspend racing during the final leg; 11th Hour Racing Team was forced to retire and end their lap ceremoniously.

‍

While the 60-foot IMOCA boat may have been temporarily broken, the entire crew, both racing and shore, remained determined and displayed the heart of champions to repair the damage. If we’ve learned one thing from the last five months of racing it’s that this sailing team, who feature prominently in the Shaped by Water project, possesses inspiring levels of resilience, teamwork and dedication.

‍

“If I wanted to be with any group of people in adversity, it’s them,” experienced navigator Simon Fisher said.

Team secures victory Carousel 1 2
Team secures victory Carousel 1 1
Keep exploring ...
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11.10.2023
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8.17.2022
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Listen to Jack ...

Let’s pause briefly and look at why forging a strong team is so crucial to maximizing the potential of any group and achieving set goals. When a team is working in harmony, nothing is impossible. This is because teamwork can bring feelings of trust and unity which in turn can drive qualities including creativity, motivation, and focus.

‍

A strong team doesn’t happen by fluke though, it needs to be carefully built and nurtured. This 11th Hour Racing Team has been developed over the last four years – it is the perfect balance of experts and team players. And, in the Shaped by Water project, the production crew for all three location shoots were expertly chosen to ensure only the best story would be told.

Corinna Halloran
“We focused on pulling together an all-star crew of filmmakers and photographers to bring the vision to life.”
Team secures victory Carousel 2

The responsibility of finding the right crew for the right shoot in the right location, and ensuring they gelled together as one team with the same goal, fell to Senior Producer Corinna Halloran.

‍

“For this project, we selected athletes at the top of their game and aligned with both the films’ and 11th Hour Racing’s mission,” Halloran said.

‍

“We focused on pulling together an all-star crew of filmmakers and photographers to bring the vision to life; people I knew who would leave drama at the door and perform as a team. As a result, the story could shine through. We were able to be honest with each other about ideas and hiccups, and get creative when a challenge appeared.”

Charlie Enright
“It’s a testament to the hard work of the entire team that, just 72 hours after the incident, we are able to get back out to sea.”

The responsibility of finding the right crew for the right shoot in the right location, and ensuring they gelled together as one team with the same goal, fell to Senior Producer Corinna Halloran.

‍

“For this project, we selected athletes at the top of their game and aligned with both the films’ and 11th Hour Racing’s mission,” Halloran said.

‍

“We focused on pulling together an all-star crew of filmmakers and photographers to bring the vision to life; people I knew who would leave drama at the door and perform as a team. As a result, the story could shine through. We were able to be honest with each other about ideas and hiccups, and get creative when a challenge appeared.”

The responsibility of finding the right crew for the right shoot in the right location, and ensuring they gelled together as one team with the same goal, fell to Senior Producer Corinna Halloran.

‍

“For this project, we selected athletes at the top of their game and aligned with both the films’ and 11th Hour Racing’s mission,” Halloran said.

‍

“We focused on pulling together an all-star crew of filmmakers and photographers to bring the vision to life; people I knew who would leave drama at the door and perform as a team. As a result, the story could shine through. We were able to be honest with each other about ideas and hiccups, and get creative when a challenge appeared.”

“In the world of production, it’s easy to get hung up on the problem (whatever that may be) and I’ve learned that the best production crew are solution based. Surprisingly, finding those folks is rare but they are exactly who I want to hire. All in all, I’m so happy with the group of humans involved in this project.”

‍

During production, having some of the top production crews in the business involved gave the athletes the ability to shine and enabled the crew to film in variable conditions with confidence, make the right decisions, and ultimately, deliver the captivating footage you will see in the two films.

Drag

Back to the race! The size of the task facing the entire crew in the hours after impact should not be underestimated. Fixing a giant hole dock side, which would only be given the all-clear after Non-Destructive Testing by an independent surveyor, would be miraculous.

‍

After returning to the dock, all team members spent Thursday assessing the damage before repairs began in earnest on June 16. With a rotation of six-hours on, six- hours off for two rotating groups of team members, the shore team carried out a collective 600 hours of repair work and by the end of the weekend the boat was back in action. An incredible achievement.

‍

“It’s a testament to the hard work of the entire team that, just 72 hours after the incident, we are able to get back out to sea,” Enright said.

‍

Still, the team found themselves in an unsettling and unpredictable period awaiting to discover how the situation would unfold but following a redress hearing in the end, on the morning of June 29, the World Sailing International Jury awarded the team four points for the no-fault collision meaning their lead was now uncatchable.

‍

A whirlwind five months of racing ended on an incredible high and it was a conquest inspired by the collective commitment to a sustainable future. The win has deepened the team’s desire and determination to expand their collective sphere of influence to find and implement solutions for the ocean.

‍

Fisher concluded it perfectly: “It’s nice at this stage of my career that I can be involved with a campaign that’s trying to do something more than ‘just’ be competitive and has a positive impact on the sport, the wider community, environment, people, and planet.

‍

“That’s really important to me. Winning is important, and it is what we all strive for, but personally, for me, I hold a lot of value in winning the right way and doing things the right way.”

QUESTIONS
Joe Batchelor
ANSWERS
11th Hour Racing Team

Now that the wind is settled on the 14th edition of The Ocean Race, let’s look back on the final moments leading up to 11th Hour Racing Team’s historic triumph – becoming the first U.S. based team to win professional sailing’s most coveted offshore trophy!

‍

With a nail-biting four point victory confirmed while en route to Genova, Italy news sparked jubilant celebrations around the world when they entered the port to cap their grueling circumnavigation of the globe. The fate of 11th Hour Racing Team was up in the air until June 29, when an International Sailing jury met to discuss the team’s leaderboard placing following the horrific accident involving GUYOT Environment - Team Europe at the start of the final leg of the race.

‍

American skipper Charlie Enright said: “I’m incredibly proud of our whole team who have worked tirelessly for three years to get to this point. To be the first U.S. team to lift this trophy is an exceptional honor, and to share the message and showcasing action and innovation for ocean health has made this a truly impactful, global campaign.”

The images and videos of the relieved crew lifting the engraved trophy only tell half the story though. Victory was far from plain sailing and to understand fully, we need to rewind to The Netherlands, and in particular, the port of The Hague.

‍

They say strength is built through adversity and never has an old adage felt quite so apt than in the moments after setting sail on Leg 6. As Enright commented afterwards, “there have been some incredible highs, but also lows that have knocked us all.”

Keep exploring ...
4.17.2023
The power of subtle storytelling - with Amory Ross
11.10.2023
How Mike Douglas transitioned from professional freeskier to adventure filmmaker
8.17.2022
How to become an adventure filmmaker with Jase Hancox
No items found.
Keep exploring ...
4.17.2023
The power of subtle storytelling - with Amory Ross
11.10.2023
How Mike Douglas transitioned from professional freeskier to adventure filmmaker
8.17.2022
How to become an adventure filmmaker with Jase Hancox
Listen to Jack ...

Leading the standings after three spectacular leg wins in a row, Enright knew that overall victory would be secured if they finished no less than two boats behind their closest rivals Holcim-PRB.

‍

But elite sport can be a cruel place and just 17-minutes into the final leg and while still navigating the two-lap inshore departure section, disaster struck when 11th Hour Racing Team was hit at (racing) speed by competitors GUYOT environment – Team Europe.

‍

Thankfully no crew on either team suffered any physical injuries but the collision left Mālama with a gaping hole on its aft, port section meaning a return to the dock was the only viable, albeit heart-breaking, option. To add salt to the wound, race rules stipulated that no team could suspend racing during the final leg; 11th Hour Racing Team was forced to retire and end their lap ceremoniously.

‍

While the 60-foot IMOCA boat may have been temporarily broken, the entire crew, both racing and shore, remained determined and displayed the heart of champions to repair the damage. If we’ve learned one thing from the last five months of racing it’s that this sailing team, who feature prominently in the Shaped by Water project, possesses inspiring levels of resilience, teamwork and dedication.

‍

“If I wanted to be with any group of people in adversity, it’s them,” experienced navigator Simon Fisher said.

Charlie Enright
“To be the first U.S. team to lift this trophy is an exceptional honor.”

Let’s pause briefly and look at why forging a strong team is so crucial to maximizing the potential of any group and achieving set goals. When a team is working in harmony, nothing is impossible. This is because teamwork can bring feelings of trust and unity which in turn can drive qualities including creativity, motivation, and focus.

‍

A strong team doesn’t happen by fluke though, it needs to be carefully built and nurtured. This 11th Hour Racing Team has been developed over the last four years – it is the perfect balance of experts and team players. And, in the Shaped by Water project, the production crew for all three location shoots were expertly chosen to ensure only the best story would be told.

No items found.

The responsibility of finding the right crew for the right shoot in the right location, and ensuring they gelled together as one team with the same goal, fell to Senior Producer Corinna Halloran.

‍

“For this project, we selected athletes at the top of their game and aligned with both the films’ and 11th Hour Racing’s mission,” Halloran said.

‍

“We focused on pulling together an all-star crew of filmmakers and photographers to bring the vision to life; people I knew who would leave drama at the door and perform as a team. As a result, the story could shine through. We were able to be honest with each other about ideas and hiccups, and get creative when a challenge appeared.”

Corinna Halloran
“We focused on pulling together an all-star crew of filmmakers and photographers to bring the vision to life.”

“In the world of production, it’s easy to get hung up on the problem (whatever that may be) and I’ve learned that the best production crew are solution based. Surprisingly, finding those folks is rare but they are exactly who I want to hire. All in all, I’m so happy with the group of humans involved in this project.”

‍

During production, having some of the top production crews in the business involved gave the athletes the ability to shine and enabled the crew to film in variable conditions with confidence, make the right decisions, and ultimately, deliver the captivating footage you will see in the two films.

No items found.

Back to the race! The size of the task facing the entire crew in the hours after impact should not be underestimated. Fixing a giant hole dock side, which would only be given the all-clear after Non-Destructive Testing by an independent surveyor, would be miraculous.

‍

After returning to the dock, all team members spent Thursday assessing the damage before repairs began in earnest on June 16. With a rotation of six-hours on, six- hours off for two rotating groups of team members, the shore team carried out a collective 600 hours of repair work and by the end of the weekend the boat was back in action. An incredible achievement.

‍

“It’s a testament to the hard work of the entire team that, just 72 hours after the incident, we are able to get back out to sea,” Enright said.

‍

Still, the team found themselves in an unsettling and unpredictable period awaiting to discover how the situation would unfold but following a redress hearing in the end, on the morning of June 29, the World Sailing International Jury awarded the team four points for the no-fault collision meaning their lead was now uncatchable.

‍

A whirlwind five months of racing ended on an incredible high and it was a conquest inspired by the collective commitment to a sustainable future. The win has deepened the team’s desire and determination to expand their collective sphere of influence to find and implement solutions for the ocean.

‍

Fisher concluded it perfectly: “It’s nice at this stage of my career that I can be involved with a campaign that’s trying to do something more than ‘just’ be competitive and has a positive impact on the sport, the wider community, environment, people, and planet.

‍

“That’s really important to me. Winning is important, and it is what we all strive for, but personally, for me, I hold a lot of value in winning the right way and doing things the right way.”

Charlie Enright
“It’s a testament to the hard work of the entire team that, just 72 hours after the incident, we are able to get back out to sea.”
No items found.

Now that the wind is settled on the 14th edition of The Ocean Race, let’s look back on the final moments leading up to 11th Hour Racing Team’s historic triumph – becoming the first U.S. based team to win professional sailing’s most coveted offshore trophy!

‍

With a nail-biting four point victory confirmed while en route to Genova, Italy news sparked jubilant celebrations around the world when they entered the port to cap their grueling circumnavigation of the globe. The fate of 11th Hour Racing Team was up in the air until June 29, when an International Sailing jury met to discuss the team’s leaderboard placing following the horrific accident involving GUYOT Environment - Team Europe at the start of the final leg of the race.

‍

American skipper Charlie Enright said: “I’m incredibly proud of our whole team who have worked tirelessly for three years to get to this point. To be the first U.S. team to lift this trophy is an exceptional honor, and to share the message and showcasing action and innovation for ocean health has made this a truly impactful, global campaign.”

The images and videos of the relieved crew lifting the engraved trophy only tell half the story though. Victory was far from plain sailing and to understand fully, we need to rewind to The Netherlands, and in particular, the port of The Hague.

‍

They say strength is built through adversity and never has an old adage felt quite so apt than in the moments after setting sail on Leg 6. As Enright commented afterwards, “there have been some incredible highs, but also lows that have knocked us all.”

No items found.
Previously unseen
ABOUT THE PROJECT

To highlight the connection between water and sports, we’ve brought together an internationally renowned freediver, a world champion freeskier, and professional offshore sailing team. Like water, these athletes move in unison with their mind, body, and the present moment. Together, these athletes bring to life their fullest expressions– like water, they flow.

ABOUT THE TEAM

We chose athletes who are not only the best at what they do but also align with 11th Hour Racing’s mission to protect and restore the ocean. We hired local storytelling teams who are also some of the best in the world. Each part of the production was carefully considered to come together as one holistic story.

Behind the Scenes

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