![image: [ EF Language: pictured while in the Solent but now involved in high seas drama ]](/olmedia/images/_33729_eflang.jpg)
EF Language's skipper, Paul Cayard, almost lost crewman Curtis Blewett as he continually pushed his boat harder and harder through "another night of terror" as Britain's Silk Cut challenged for fourth place.
But the effort nearly ended in tragedy as the night's events reached a dramatic finale.
Cayard said: "We were re-setting the spinnaker, after repairing it from an earlier mistake. It opened before we got it to the top, the helmsman lost control and spun into the wind. Curtis was up the rig while it was shaking violently.
"I thought he was going to die. The spinnaker went into the water and it was all hands to get it on board while the boat was now doing 15 knots without even trying. We got Curtis down and he is OK."
EF Language could only watch as the British stole a march on them and cruised into fourth spot.
Lawrie Smith's Silk Cut broke the record for distance travelled in 24 hours on Thursday. It is now chasing hard on the shoulder of former team-mate Paul Stainbridge's Toshiba in third place.
Innovation Kvaerner is still in second place, 276.7 nautical miles behind leaders Swedish Match.
Race guide to the ocean challenge
(10 Nov 97 | Special Report)
Brutal hard work is the name of the game
(21 Nov 97 | Special Report)
All-female crew make up for lost time
(19 Nov 97 | Special Report)
Whitbread official race site
Map of fleet positions
Team EF
Whitbread leader board
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