Pindar the new Juan Kouyoumdjian-designed Open 60 helmed by Mike Sanderson has dismasted while lying neck and neck with Estrella Damm on the Artemis Challenge.

According to Elaine Bunting who’s racing aboard Estrella Damm they were flying downwind between the Needles and St Catherine’s Point with their asymmetric up and the mast just went over the side.

The wind is up to about 14kts but not extreme. Early reports indicate that everyone onboard is okay and Mike Sanderson and team are currently trying salvage the remains of the mast.

We will bring you more news when we have it.

Estrella Damm is now leading the Open 60 fleet.

An update from Louay Habib at 1155 from Spirit of Weymouth indicates that team Pindar have saved the mast and they are being assisted by a number of RIBs who were closeby at the time of the incident.

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