Black Foils SailGP Team helmed by Peter Burling and DS Automobiles SailGP Team France helmed by Quentin Delapierre collide during racing on Race Day 1 of the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix in Auckland, New Zealand © Felix Diemer for SailGP
Two sailors have been treated for injuries and are reported by SailGP as being in a stable condition. All other crew members have been accounted for onboard.
The incident happened in Race 3 after the start on the reach to the first mark with 32km/h wind speed reported on the video. Both New Zealand and France had started near the leeward end of the line. Speeds of the boats on the first leg were up to 93.7kp/h, or 50.5 knots, with the sailors reporting that the wind was both shifty and very gusty.
New Zealand was initially positioned to windward of the French boat, but then went into a sideways slide ahead of the French, spinning to windward with the boat nosediving and continuing to spin into the wind. The port (leeward) hull of the New Zealand boat rose up going into the slide.
The French had very little time to react with their port hull impacting with the New Zealand starboard hull near the shroud. The French team reacted very quickly to cross the boat and check on the New Zealand team.
We will bring you more news when we can, but all our thoughts are with the sailors involved and injured in this incident.