Transat Jacques Vabre, injury on Acrobatics. Alberto Riva forced to retire

Transat Jacques Vabre, injury on Acrobatics. Alberto Riva forced to retire

Black misfortune for Alberto Riva, the skipper of the Class40 Acrobatics, a favorite among the new-entry boats of this 16th Transat Jacques Vabre. During the Sprint leg on Lorient, characterized by winds of up to 40 knots and extremely strong seas, at about 0500 yesterday morning, Riva injured his knee during a sail change, thrown into the air by a larger-than-average wave. Jean Marre, co-skipper, immediately secured the mate, bringing the boat back to Lorient trying to limit the damage to performance, but slowing down in pace to allow a more “comfortable” ride to Riva.

Transported directly from the docks in Lorient to the Clinique du Ter in Ploemeur, Brittany, Riva underwent appropriate examinations, showing a compound fracture of the tibial plateau. Unfortunately for Riva, in its first Jacques Vabre, the Acrobatics regatta will have to stop here.

A sprint that boded well

A real pity, in short, for Alberto Riva and Jean Marre, who were showing great pace in this first stage of the Route du café, with a remarkable comeback that lasted throughout the first night, where they had already caught up with the leading group, even gaining 5th position at times. Instead, they finish 20th, still in the leading group. A result that is the child of Marre’s care for his companion, slowing down the race in favor of a more comfortable pace, and which should therefore not deceive about the true capabilities of the promising duo, which is also strong on the strength of a truly level hull.

About the injury, says Riva himself, “I was at the bow trying to put the halyard back on the J1 when, on a wave more violent than the others, I literally took off, landing again with all my weight on my knee. Unfortunately, our Transat Jacques Vabre ends here.”

“The first part of the regatta was very interesting and intense,” says Jean Marre, co-skipper of “Acrobatics.” “Good night with good strategic choices and in very hard conditions a very good test for the boat which reacted very well. When I realized that Albi was hurt, my first reaction was to secure him. Then the goal was to get the boat and albi to Lorient while trying to safeguard performance.”

Whichever way it went, the boat and the duo proved to be commendable, credit to great skills and a fast and solid hull, a well-executed design cleverly adapted to the sailing style of Riva and the cp-skipper.

Transat Jacques Vabre, Beccaria imprendibile domina fino a Lorient