Ocean Race 2023

Homecoming sweet for Skipper Charlie Enright 

11th Hour Racing Team wins Leg 4 in Newport

Photos and story by Richard W. Dionne, Jr.
Posted 5/11/23

It was a sweet homecoming for Skipper Charlie Enright and the 11th Hour Racing Team as they sailed into Newport among a throng of welcome boats and helicopters winners for won Leg 4 of the Ocean Race …

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Ocean Race 2023

Homecoming sweet for Skipper Charlie Enright 

11th Hour Racing Team wins Leg 4 in Newport

Posted

It was a sweet homecoming for Skipper Charlie Enright and the 11th Hour Racing Team as they sailed into Newport among a throng of welcome boats and helicopters winners for won Leg 4 of the Ocean Race 2023 on Wednesday afternoon. The 11th Hour Racing Team arrived at 2:41.41 p.m. with a swift racing time of 17 days, 2 hours, 26 minutes and 41 seconds, beginning the leg in Itajaí, Brazil. 

"This means so much to all of us," Enright said on the podium. "Timing is everything and to be able to get this result, on this leg, coming to our home base in Newport feels incredible. Everybody on the team played a role and did their part.”

Enright and the team gathered for a group photo by the mainsail before docking the boat into a Fort Adams slip. Once the boat was put away, he hugged his wife, children and family members on the dock and entertained media members before taking the podium to celebrate the win. 

"It feels so good to see all the boats on the water and the people here on shore to welcome us and share this with us,” Enright said. “We're grateful for the support and happy we could get the win for everybody."

Team Malizia arrived in Newport a half hour later to take second place.

 

It wasn't an easy leg. Over the 17 days of racing north from Itajaí Brazil, the teams had to manage numerous transitions between weather systems, from the southern hemisphere trade winds, through the doldrums and into the north Atlantic trades. A storm just two days out from the finish brought wind gusts over 50 knots and a brutal sea state, according to Ocean Race reports. 

Through the weather, Enright and his team exchanged leads with Team Malizia several times, before taking the lead earlier this week and holding off Malizia to win the leg. 

"This was a great race," said Skipper Will Harris of Team Malizia. "It was close racing, which is something we always like, and it sets us up nicely for the legs ahead."

 

Prior race leader Team Holcim-PRB had to retire from leg 4, after dismasting earlier in the race and Biotherm’s  crew is still at sea racing towards Newport, with over 150 miles left to sail. Their ETA has slipped into Thursday as the boat is mired in light winds.

Enright’s crew has crept up the leader board with the Leg 4 win and the Itajaí in port race win. They are currently among the top three that are all within one point of each other. Crews will rest, tend to the boats, conduct interviews and visit schools before embarking on the transatlantic Leg 5 race that starts on Sunday May 21.

The Ocean Live Park will be open to the public from May 13-21. For information visit: https://theoceanracenewport.com/

 

Leg 4 points

1. 11th Hour Racing Team - 5 points

2. Team Malizia - 4 points

3. Biotherm - racing

4. GUYOT environnement - Team Europe - suspended racing

5. Team Holcim-PRB - retired from leg - 0 points

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.