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NZ CREW PHILOSOPHICAL ABOUT EARLY ATLANTIC EXIT(New Zealand Press Association Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)Wellington, Jan 18 NZPA - Philosophical trans-Atlantic rower Tara Remington says the New Zealand boat couldn't cope with constant pounding by huge seas as she reflected on their early race exit today. Remington and Iain Rudkin were forced out of the fourth Atlantic rowing race on Monday when their $100,000 Team Sun Latte boat capsized. They were the 11th placed crew, and second in the mixed section, when they were rescued by support yacht, Aurora, after spending 12-18 hours frantically bailing water from their boat. Remington required stitches in a minor head injury but said wounded pride was more painful. ``There's a lot of physical and emotional tiredness, and we're just doing our best to get our heads around the fact we're not racing any more,'' she told Radio Sport from the Aurora, bound for Antigua in the Caribbean. ``I learned not to take the Atlantic for granted, and that it's important to have dreams. They may not always end how you want them to, but it's still important to work towards a dream.'' Remington was unsure about speculation that a 15 minute shark attack on their boat last month led to the leak which saw them take on water on Saturday, and eventually capsize. She just believed the kitset plywood boat couldn't cope with the conditions. ``It's hard to know if the shark attack had anything to do with the leak. These boats are well put together but they're just not made for day after day of 25 knot winds and big seas. ``The boat just couldn't cope with the amount of water we were taking on in those conditions. It was really unlucky all around. ``Up to that point we had a lot of problems but we managed to solve them and get through. ``At the end of the day we just couldn't do anything about the leak.'' The rowers left the Canary Islands of the coast of Africa on November 27 on what was to have been a 4727km journey. Rudkin and Remington had been hoping to finish early next month and at the time of the accident had been about 950 nautical miles (1760km) from the finish in Antigua. With this race the fourth since the first in 1997, it will now be the first one not won by a New Zealand crew. Remington and Rudkin had plenty of time to reflect on their exit from the race. The Aurora wasn't due in Antigua for another week to 10 days, depending on whether other crews required assistance. They hope to return to New Zealand in mid-February. NZPA WGT mg dj |