Crash at New Zealand Sail Grand Prix
Two sailors were hospitalized following a severe collision between the New Zealand and France boats on the opening day of the New Zealand Sail Grand Prix in Auckland.
The incident led to the abandonment of racing for the day. SailGP confirmed that the injured sailors, one from each team, are currently in stable condition in hospital.
Team DS France strategist Manon Audinet sustained abdominal injuries, while New Zealand grinder Louis Sinclair suffered compound fractures to both legs, according to his team.
Details of the Collision
The crash occurred at the start of race three when, according to SailGP, the New Zealand team lost control and sharply veered in front of the French boat.
As a result, races three and four were canceled. Both New Zealand and France teams will be unable to participate in Sunday's races due to the damage their boats sustained.
Reactions from the Teams
"Everything happened so quickly - it's still super cloudy in my head and I haven't reviewed the footage or spoken to the umpires," said France driver Quentin Delapierre.
"I think both teams are OK. I want to give my thoughts to the New Zealand team and also to my team-mates - this was tough for everyone on both teams. I believe we'll find some solutions to make sure we never see this kind of thing happen again."
Previous Incidents and Current Standings
New Zealand had also been involved in a crash during the season's opening event in Perth last month, colliding with Switzerland.
Prior to the crash in Auckland, the Black Foils had moved into first place after winning race two. However, they have since dropped down the leaderboard after receiving an eight-point penalty for the collision with France.
Defending SailGP champions Great Britain, who won the season opener in January, placed 11th in the first race and improved to second place in race two.
Schedule Adjustments
Organizers have rescheduled the start of racing on Sunday to an earlier time due to predictions of adverse weather conditions later in the day.
