The Great Britain SailGP Team is in a race against time to compete in the ROCKWOOL Denmark Sail Grand Prix this weekend, after sustaining damage to its F50 race boat during practice racing today in Copenhagen.
The team was completing pre-race training drills when they hit an uncharted rock just outside the racecourse boundary. Damage sustained on the starboard side included snapping the head of the starboard rudder clean off and damage to the foil and board case.
The rudder was retrieved and the F50 is now back in the GBR team base where the overall damage is being assessed. With the support of SailGP’s Tech Services, the team will be working through the night to effect repairs, with the aim to race in this weekend’s ROCKWOOL Denmark Sail Grand Prix in Copenhagen (Friday, 19th & Saturday 20th August).
No injuries were sustained onboard. Update to follow.
Statement by Great Britain SailGP Team Co-owner and driver Ben Ainslie: “We were training just outside the racecourse boundary and unfortunately hit an unmarked rock. We sustained a lot of damage to the starboard rudder, daggerboard and rake ram which is obviously critical to sail and control the boat.
The Spanish team also sustained rudder damage after hitting a submerged object, but it looks like they will be on the start line for Friday’s first race.
