Team Philips just after the port bow detached from the stricken vessel.

ISLES OF SCILLY, UK — The Adrian Thompson designed, 120-foot, carbon fiber catamaran Team Philips suffered severe hull damage during the third day of sea trials, 26 miles northwest of the Isles of Scilly. A 25-foot section of the port bow broke off and the starboard hull has also been damaged. A St. Mary's Lifeboat is now towing the vessel into port and reported that there was no danger to the six-man crew.
The boat, blessed by the Queen of England earlier this month, left Dartmouth three days ago for sea trials. Yesterday the catamaran reported 15-knots under bare poles alone. Team Philips headquarters received a call at 0745 GMT, stating that the boat had suffered "significant structural failure" of both the port and starboard bows. The team would not speculate what may have caused the damage. However, the extent of the damage will certainly cancel an April attempt at besting the 71-day round-the-globe Jules Verne record, and may have further implications in the vessel's participation in the no-limits around-the-world race known simply as The Race, which starts in Barcelona, Spain, on December 31, 2000.