| Germany. Kiel mayoress to visit Shosholoza’s Charles Nankin recuperating after fracturing vertebra |
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| Friday, 11 August 2006 | |
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Janine Geigele: One of Team Shosholoza’s key sailors, Charles Nankin, 28, of Cape Town, is in post operative spinal recovery in a German hospital after he was accidentally knocked off the yacht and hit by the rudder while racing in a Grand Prix sailing event in Kiel, Germany, last Sunday. Nankin, had gone forward on yacht Shosholoza RSA 48 to help pull in the spinnaker while rounding a leeward mark when he was hit unexpectedly by the foresail as it came across the bow and flung him overboard. Because the boat was turning he was pushed under water and hit his back against the rudder as the stern swung around. Trapped by the force of the water, his body became wrapped around the rudder but miraculously he found super-human strength to push himself off and surface within 30 seconds. He was immediately picked up by the Shosholoza chase boat and transferred by ambulance to the University of Schleswig-Holstein’s, Clinic for Traumatology in Kiel. He underwent a three hour operation, led by director of the clinic, Dr A. Seekamp, on Monday in which titanium was used to stabilise his 2nd vertebra which was fractured in the incident. He was sitting up and walked briefly on crutches yesterday (Thursday) and has no other spinal, neck or cerebral injury. He is expected to remain in hospital until 20 August after which he will join the rest of Team Shosholoza at their base in Valencia, Spain. Doctors have advised that he will need physiotherapy for three months and should be able to resume normal sports activities after six months. “Charles is one of our major players. He was doing a manoeuvre he has done hundreds of times and normally would have been able to hold on. It sometimes happens that crew fall off during racing – even on the top boats - because the forces are tremendous on America’s Cup class yachts and there are no guard rails. It was unfortunate that the boat was already turning as basically it ran him over,” said sailing manager Paul Standbridge. “But Charles is physically and mentally strong, and being a powerful swimmer and former water polo player, he was able to keep his wits about him while trapped under the boat. This is an extreme sport and a potentially highly dangerous one. “We rely on Charles immensely in the team and are just so thankful that he won’t have any lasting injury,” said Standbridge. Nankin’s father, Rick, himself a top South African sailor, has been in constant phone contact with his son. He said Charles was still heavily sedated but doing well and grateful for the expert care and widespread support. “He is especially grateful to the Shosholoza shore crew who pulled him out the water. He says John “Spilly” Spilhaus of Villiersdorp in the Cape was the hero of the day as he quickly realised that Charles might be critically injured and cautioned that he be left in the water until he could be eased slowly onto the chase boat.” Nankin’s wife Flavia and 19 month old son Philipp were flown from Valencia to be at his bedside, while his sister Sarah travelled from Amsterdam to be with him. Messages of support have been received from well wishers around the world. The crew of BMW ORACLE Racing sent him a signed calendar and United Internet Team Germany sent flowers and chocolates. The two America’s Cup teams were also competing in the German Grand Prix Sailing Event. The mayoress of Kiel will visit Nankin in hospital today and has assured Nankin and Team Shosholoza of the city’s full support if any assistance is needed. http://www.team-shosholoza.com/ |
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 11 August 2006 ) |
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