KEY POINTS:
The ill-fated Earthrace boat has been forced to pull out of its attempt to set a world record for circumnavigating the world.
As it will not be able to beat the record, the crew - currently in Malaga, Spain - decided to abandon the race.
Skipper of the biodiesel-fuelled boat Pete Bethune said: "The whole team is pretty devastated right now. We have all put so much time, money and effort into the record attempt.
"We gave it our best shot."
He said he may have another go as early as next year and said the attempt had successfully promoted biodiesel.
The attempt began in San Diego, California, on April 7 and had to be completed by June 21 to break the record of 75 days set by British boat Cable & Wireless in 1998.
The Earthrace project said the vessel ran into several storms on the 3333km voyage across the Mediterranean Sea to Spain from Port Said, in Egypt.
These storms slowed Earthrace's speed from 40km/h to 18.5km/h as it battled 5m head seas and 92km/h wind gusts.
A 2m crack was found in the floor of the hull.
Earlier in the attempt the crew hit money problems in India.
And they were detained in Guatemala after striking a fishing boat leading to the death of a fisherman. A judge later released them saying it was an accident.
- NZHERALD STAFF
