Video: United States SailGP Team capsize with surfing legend Kai Lenny onboard
by SailGP 22 Mar 2022 11:35 GMT
21 March 2022
USA SailGP Team helmed by Jimmy Spithill capsize as they sail past Alcatraz Island during a practice session ahead of San Francisco SailGP, Season 2 - 21st March © Ricardo Pinto for SailGP
The United States SailGP Team capsized on San Francisco Bay during a training session on Monday for this weekend's SailGP season final, the upcoming Mubadala United Sail Grand Prix, March 26-27.
All athletes were safe and accounted for following the incident with the team's F50 catamaran sustaining minimal damage.
Big wave surfing legend Kai Lenny was also onboard during the event, with surfing champion Jamie O'Brien nearby on the team's chase boat, witnessing the capsize first-hand.
The culprit for the capsize was determined to be a systems issue on the F50 that caused the wing sail to not invert properly when Spithill initiated a maneuver, causing the cutting-edge raceboat to heel over and subsequently capsize right in front of Alcatraz.
Following system checks overnight, the team is expected to resume training on Tuesday in preparation for the Season Final this weekend where they will be racing on San Francisco Bay's spectator-friendly racecourse just off Marina Green.
The American team is one of two teams who have already clinched a spot in Sunday's winner-take-all, Grand Final race where they will square off against the Australian team and an as-to-be-named third team for the season championship title.