I had a Velocity rim split a few years ago - it was on the rear wheel of a recumbent, custom built 40 spoke rim with a Phil Wood hub. A defective part can slip through any QC process, anywhere in the world. In my case, the wheel builder took care of the problem on warranty but it was inconvenient as I was in the middle of a cross country trip. Ended up buying a cheap mountain bike wheel (about $60 as I recall) which lasted the rest of the trip and is still serviceable.