The first leg of the Sail GP circuit started this Friday in Sydney. On the Australian body of water, the French crew led by Billy Besson already had a great fright during the first race. During a maneuver, the blue F50 thus struck the Spanish boat. Violent, the shock caused damage, to the point that the three-color team was forced to bring the catamaran back to shore to repair it. The port float of the F50 has been disemboweled and the technical team is hard at work to plug the major breach so that Besson and his crew can participate in the regattas scheduled for Saturday. Ben Ainslie and the British won the first three races of the day.
Incoming! @SailGPFRA and @SailGPESP butt heads in Race 1! # # SydneySailGP SailGPpic.twitter.com / Utk83H7Py1
- SailGP (@SailGP) February 28, 2020 Meanwhile at the TechBase the shore crew is busy repairing the boat in time for tomorrow's race.
Meanwhile at the Techbase, shore crew is working hard to repair the boat for tomorrow's race. # Sydneysailgp # sailgppic.twitter.com / jPz2NeJRoO
Launched in 2019 by the American billionaire Larry Ellison and the New Zealand sailing legend Russell Coutts, respectively double and quadruple winners of the America's Cup, the Sail GP brings together seven teams (Great Britain, United States , Australia, France, Denmark, Spain and Japan) during spectacular fleet regattas fought at more than 50 knots on the F50 flying catamarans, derived from those used in the last America's Cup won by New Zealand (2017 ). After Australia this weekend, the teams will compete in four more rounds in San Francisco, New York, Cowes and Copenhagen. The location of the annual grand finale has not yet been announced. Last year, Australia triumphed in Marseille with a check for a million dollars. Besson and the Blues had finished the season in 7th and last place.
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