Rhode Island Native, Skipper Charlie Enright, Only American Skipper To Lead A US Team To Victory In Race History

GENOA, ITALY, June 29, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- 11TH HOUR RACING TEAM FIRST US TEAM TO WIN THE OCEAN RACE IN 50-YEAR HISTORY

* Team Was Given Average Points Redress For Leg 7 After A No-Fault Collision In The Hague Forced Them To Retire From The Final Stage.
* Rhode Island Native, Skipper Charlie Enright, Only American Skipper To Lead A US Team To Victory In Race History

US offshore sailing outfit 11th Hour Racing Team has won The Ocean Race - the world’s longest and toughest team sporting event. The Newport, RI-based team is the first US-flagged entry to win The Ocean Race in its 50-year history. 11th Hour Racing Team was helmed by Rhode Island native, Skipper Charlie Enright. He is the only American skipper to lead a US team to victory in the race’s 50-year history.

After winning three back to back legs, the team entered the final leg of The Ocean Race atop the leaderboard, but tragedy struck just seventeen minutes after crossing the starting line in The Hague, when the boat was struck by a competitor forcing both teams to retire from the final leg of the race.

Today, the World Sailing International Jury awarded the team four points for the final leg as redress - based on an average of their strong results in the race to date - securing the team’s victory in the five month long race around the world.

“I’m absolutely ecstatic. This race takes everything out of you - emotionally, mentally, and physically. I’m incredibly proud of our whole team who have worked tirelessly for three years to get to this point,” said 11th Hour Racing Team Skipper, Charlie Enright. “One thing we like to pride ourselves on is never getting too high, never getting too low, and just working through everything. We say in the team, if you’re not winning, you’re learning, and this whole race, we’ve just tried to improve in every single area.”

He continued, “To be the first US team to be lifting this trophy is an exceptional honor, and to be sharing the message and showcasing action and innovation for ocean health as we race around the world has made this a truly impactful, global campaign. It’s not the way I would have drawn this up, but the victory is sweet all the same.”

After fixing their 60-foot IMOCA, Mālama in The Hague, within 72 hours, the team set sail to Genoa to deliver the boat to the Grand Finale ceremonies. The crew heard about their win via a satellite phone call from team CEO, Mark Towill, as they were about to arrive in Genoa.
The final leaderboard shows 11th Hour Racing Team finishing three points ahead of Team Holcim-PRB in second place, with Team Malizia in third, Biotherm - fourth place, and GUYOT environnement - Team Europe in fifth.

11th Hour Racing Team overall crew list for The Ocean Race 2022-23:
Charlie Enright (USA) - Skipper
Simon Fisher (GBR) - Navigator
Jack Bouttell (AUS/GBR) - Trimmer
Franck Cammas (FRA) - Trimmer
Francesca Clapcich (ITA) - Trimmer
Charlie Dalin (FRA) - Trimmer
Damian Foxall (IRL) - Trimmer
Justine Mettraux (FRA) - Trimmer
Pierre Bouras (FRA) - Media Crew Member
Amory Ross (USA) - Media Crew Member

QUOTES FROM SPONSOR - 11TH HOUR RACING

Co-Founder & President of title sponsor 11th Hour Racing, Rob Macmillan: "To be the first US-flagged team to win this storied race is an honor. I am proud and grateful to every person on this team who made this dream a reality, showing outstanding resilience, integrity, and strength. More than ten years ago, we sat down with Mark and Charlie and created a list of ambitious goals – the first was to win The Ocean Race, and second on that list was to prove that performance and sustainability need to co-exist. Today is a win for the ocean, 11th Hour Racing, and the community of fans around the world!"

Co-founder & CEO, 11th Hour Racing, Jeremy Pochman: "Congratulations and a huge thank you to the entire 11th Hour Racing Team and each and every person who worked relentlessly for the past four years to get to this historic result. The Race organizers, competing teams, fans, other sponsors - our community - all have joined us in this journey, at this 11th hour, to restore the health of our ocean. Our journey doesn't end here – our desire and determination to do more and to expand our work continues because when the ocean wins, we all win."

Wendy Schmidt, co-founder of 11th Hour Racing, president and co-founder of the Schmidt Family Foundation and Schmidt Ocean Institute: “This victory is an extraordinary accomplishment – but it’s about more than a team winning a race. We want to engage people in the bigger task of protecting our planet, of restoring ocean health because there is no life on earth without a healthy ocean. This race around the world is a symbol of that task, and we want everyone to be on our team. 11th Hour Racing Team did more than sail around the world. They carried the message of sustainability, with the singular focus of restoring ocean health. Today, the real winner of this race is the ocean.”

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PASSWORD: WINNERS

ABOUT 11TH HOUR RACING TEAM
11th Hour Racing Team was formed in September 2019 and is led by American offshore sailors Charlie Enright and Mark Towill. Supported by title sponsor 11th Hour Racing, the Team’s mission is to build a high-performance ocean racing team with sustainability at the core of all operations, inspiring positive action among sailing and coastal communities, and global sports fans to create long-lasting change for ocean health. Towill and Enright have competed in the last two editions of The Ocean Race and the team is set to race in the inaugural, fully-crewed IMOCA Class of The Ocean Race 2022-23 with their next-generation race boat.

Robert Zimmerman
Zimmerman Strategic Communications
+1 917-543-1046
rob@zimstrategies.com
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Finish Line and Trophy Presentation video; nat sound b-roll; interview with Skipper Charlie Enright

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