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SailGP came close to the worst in Auckland. In a spectacular collision between France and New Zealand two sailors were injured and two F50s heavily destroyed. However, the French saw their weekend come to a screeching halt, while Australia took the win at the end of a leg overshadowed by the accident.
The most violent crash ever experienced by the French team
The impact occurred on the first day of the race, in conditions that were considered "clean": south-westerly wind between 15 and 18 knots, with 20-knot gusts, flat seas. However, close to the coast, a sudden gust of wind unbalanced the New Zealand F50.
According to the French team, the Black Foils went into overspeed, high up on the foils, before stalling. The boat then pivoted suddenly, almost facing the French F50, making collision inevitable.
" It was a very violent crash, the most violent we've ever experienced in SailGP", reacted Quentin Delapierre, driver of DS Automobiles SailGP Team France, shortly after the accident. The outcome could have been worse, had it not been for the French skipper's astonishing avoidance reflex.
Manon Audinet projected: examinations and observation at Auckland Hospital
At the moment of impact, French strategist Manon Audinet was downwind, preparing for a gybe. She was violently thrown towards the front of the cockpit, causing the F50's steering wheel to break. Immediately attended to by the SailGP medical team, she was evacuated to Auckland hospital for further tests, in particular to rule out any abdominal injury. She remains under observation.
On the New Zealand side, Black Foils grinder Louis Sinclair was also injured. According to New Zealand media outlet Stuff, he suffered open fractures in both legs, requiring surgery.
Jury exonerates France, penalizes Black Foils
From a sporting point of view, the jury's investigation quickly came to a conclusion: the French team was exonerated of any responsibility for the collision. The New Zealanders received eight penalty points.
In the provisional rankings at the end of the first day, France was even in the lead. But that was no longer the point: the accident turned the weekend into a heavy atmosphere, and the question of safety for 13-boat F50s on a narrow stretch of water came back to the fore.
" The shell is cut in two "A F50 that can't be repaired in time
The damage to the French catamaran is considerable. Philippe Presti, team manager of the DS Automobiles SailGP Team France, has drawn a clear conclusion: several structural elements have been affected (hulls, appendages, control systems), and the platform cannot be repaired in time.
" The hull is virtually cut in two from amidships. The bow is completely separated from the rest. The cockpit is badly damaged, as is the port foil explained Philippe Presti.
As a result, despite a promising first day, the French team was unable to start the second day of competition.
Sunday under tension: modified format and divided fleet
With two boats out of the race (France and New Zealand), SailGP had to adapt its arrangements. The remaining fleet was split into two groups, a decision taken in a context where all crews acknowledged that they were sailing more cautiously.
" It was a really frightening accident and everyone was very affected danish driver Nicolai Sehested summed up the general mood in the paddock.
The collision in Auckland has also rekindled a debate with which the league is familiar: these F50 catamarans, capable of speeds approaching 100 km/h, are racing on ever tighter courses, in an ever denser fleet.
Australian victory, but a subdued celebration
In this climate, Australia won the grand final, ahead of Great Britain and Spain. An important victory for Tom Slingsby and his team, but without euphoria.
The Australian skipper himself admitted that the impact had left its mark: " It was terrifying "he said, referring to his personal attachment to the New Zealand sailors and the sense of vulnerability felt by the whole fleet.
Beyond the sporting result, Auckland will be remembered as a warning. Never since the creation of SailGP in 2019 has there been a collision of such violence, with two platforms seriously damaged and a number of people hospitalized.
The league, which has made spectacle and speed its DNA, finds itself faced with a paradox: the faster the boats fly, the smaller the margin for error. And as the fleet grows, so does the risk of a major incident.
With 13 boats entered in Auckland âeuros and 14 announced for next season âeuros SailGP already knows that it will have to continue adapting its formats. But after this crash, one question becomes central: how far can we push the boundaries of â??extreme sportâ? without crossing the red line?
