Stricken Clipper Sailors Rescued

Thanks to a well-coordinated effort by several US Coast Guard resources, two injured crew were safely transported Sunday from the Clipper Round the World Race vessel Geraldton Western Australia to the cutter Bertholf. Within hours of this posting, they should be receiving medical care at San Francisco General Hospital.

Two UK-based sailors, Jane Hitchens, 50, a doctor, and Nik Brbora, 29, a software engineer, were seriously injured Saturday when a huge wave lashed the 68-ft sloop during a period of intense weather — gusts as high as 60 knots were reported. Two other crew were also injured, including the helmsman at the time the wave struck, but they elected to stay with the vessel.

During Saturday’s initial search and rescue response, a California Air National Guard pararescue team flew out to the Geraldton, then 400 miles off the coast, in a long-range Coast Guard HC-130J Hercules aircraft. But conditions proved too severe for them to parachute down to the damaged yacht.

Our hearts go out to Hitchens and Brbora, not only because of their painful injuries — suspected broken ribs and suspected pelvic strain, respectively — but also due to their disappointment in not being able to complete the 6,000-mile leg from Qingdao, China, after completing more than 90% of that distance. Also, both are among the minority of Clipper crew who booked the entire eight-leg, around-the-world voyage.

Meanwhile, jubilant celebrations erupted throughout the weekend on the docks of Oakland’s Jack London Square, as Clipper yachts finished the nearly month-long leg one by one. The first was Gold Coast Australia, which came in Friday evening with a commanding lead over her competitors. Click here for more on the race.