Credit : Mark Lloyd
Thomson had been complaining off a niggling lower stomach pain during yesterday afternoon, and met with the race’s medical officer Dr Frances Bonet of Barcelona’s Teknon Clinic, and after examination this morning he underwent a laproscopic appendectomy within two hours of being admitted.
“ I think right now he has just undergone surgery with two days to the race and I think it is highly improbable he will be starting the race.” Stewart Hosford CEO of Alex Thomson Racing:said when questioned if he thought Thomson would start the race.
Stewart Hosford, Alex Thomson Racing:
“ This morning I took Alex to the Teknon Clinic here in Barcelona. He was in extremely good health but complaining of stomach. He was diagnosed by our medical friends at the clinic and surgery was performed. It is now complete. For me I would also like to say that we are very happy that it has happened now, today, and it did not happen in the middle of the ocean. That could have been very, very serious."
Dr Bonet, Teknon Clinic:
“ Yesterday he felt some pain in the lower stomach and we were around here and we had a few moments to see him and recommended that he come in to see us this morning. And we proceed with a CT scan and some procedures. Hopefully the diagnosis was done very early and the surgery was done two hours later. He is in good spirits and is recovering well. Our diagnosis was confirmed. And now he is recovering well in our hospital.”
Stewart Hosford, Alex Thomson Racing:
“ We thank the medical side and the race direction. We have our team here this evening and we will discuss with the race organisers and discuss what our plan will be and will announce at 1pm what the plan of Alex Thomson Racing is with regard to the Barcelona World Race.”
Dr Bonet explained:
“ Now it is impossible to say anything, but his evolution is good and he is making a good recovery and is in good health in general.”
Stewart Hosford, Alex Thomson Racing:
“I think there are many different possibilities and at the moment our concern is for the health of Alex. We will meet as a team this evening with our friends in the race organisation and discuss what all of the possibilities are. We will hopefully make our decision and announce it tomorrow at one o’clock.”
Stewart Hosford, Alex Thomson Racing:
“ Firstly we need to look at it together as a team, and secondly discuss it with the race direction and with Alex and myself and we make a decision.
As the director of the team the decision rests with me.
I think we are actually quite lucky with this scenario. We would rather it not had happened at all, but it is fortunate it did while he was here. And I think that if you start worrying about luck in this game then you are nowhere.”
According to the Notice of Race the qualification requirements for a skipper - or substitute skipper - in the Barcelona World Race are
4.6.2 Qualification of skipper
The skipper shall qualify if he finished and qualified in one of the following races :
• the Transat Jacques Vabre 05, 07, 09
• the Vendée Globe 04, 08
• the Barcelona World Race 07• the Route du Rhum 06
• the Artemis Transat 08
• the Portimao Global Ocean Race
Or if he has sailed at least 2 800 miles on a boat in the Volvo Ocean Race 08/09 and finished qualified in this race.
From Barcelona World Race
