There were dramatic scenes at the Official Practice Race Day in Bermuda, with the USA SailGP Team capsizing mid race, causing some of the athletes to be flung from their positions onboard.
The USA SailGP Team capsized during the third practice race en-route to the first rounding mark. All athletes are accounted for and no significant injuries were sustained. The boat has been recovered and damage to the wing is currently being assessed.
The Australian’s also were able to test the Flying Roo during the practice to confirm it was race ready, following the completion of urgent major repairs after the Aussies disastrous crash in Christchurch.
The incident, which caused serious damage to Australia’s F50, resulted in the most severe penalty in SailGP history – the loss of 12 event points and 8 season points. This meant Australia dropped from the top spot of the season 4 leaderboard to second overall – nine points behind new leaders New Zealand.
Slingsby said that the team is ‘fired up and ready for redemption in Bermuda’ with them hunting to recover season points and attempt to close the point gap between New Zealand.
The leaderboard shake up now sees six teams in close contention to make the Grand Final, so Bermuda, the 10th stop of the Season 4 Calendar, will prove to be a critical turning point with just two events remaining before the Grand Final in San Francisco.
Ahead of the racing commencing, the Australia SailGP Team has also launched its latest initiative, SailGP Vs Plastic, in collaboration with its Official Purpose Partner Parley for the Oceans, to combat plastic pollution and its intrinsic link to climate change.
The SailGP Vs Plastic community hub – a centralized free-to-use platform for SailGP fans and the on-water community – is designed to engage, educate and inspire action against plastic pollution.
To access the SailGP Vs Plastics community hub, visit parley.tv/sailgp-vs-plastic.
Olivia Hogan Head of Marketing & Communications, APAC, Australia SailGP Team
