The latest news from Brasil 1 VOR team is that they will restart the race from South Africa today at 10 am (local time Brasilia), exactly five days after it moored in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Skipper Torben Grael confirmed that the damage, sustained in the first 48 hours of the second leg of the round-the-world-race, has been repaired in order for the crew to sail the approximate 6,000 nautical miles (11,100 kilometers) to Melbourne, Australia.

Grael commented: “The Brasil 1 will be back even stronger. Of course we are behind but we are competing in the Volvo Ocean Race to sail around the world and that’s what we will do. Furthermore, sailing to Melbourne will be an excellent opportunity to regain our confidence in the boat and learn more about how to make the most of these conditions.”

The crew is overjoyed to be returning to the ocean. Knut Frostad commented: “We have made some friends here. Chuny traded in his Brasil 1 cap for ‘calamares’ while Marcelo cooked our already traditional barbeque. The people at the Yacht Club were amazing and helped us a lot but we are tired of waking up in a hotel room and rushing over to an internet cafe to find out the latest race news.”

The Brasil 1 will spend the next two weeks sailing and should arrive in Melbourne before the end of the month, a few days before the in-port race, which is scheduled for the 4 February.