A Couple of Crashes and Man Overboard on Eve of Season Launch
by Nick Vindin 1 Feb 2018 20:02 NZDT
The SuperFoiler on Sydney Harbour © John Curnow
A full quota of SuperFoiler machines has taken to their ocean runway for the first time in the history of the circuit – 24 hours from the start of the first race on Adelaide's Outer Harbour.
Crews weren't interested in nursing their cutting-edge crafts and it resulted in an action filled session with tech2 capsizing and losing a man overboard after their skipper Luke Parkinson went for an involuntary swim early in the morning. "Today we were really trying to push the limits and we certainly found them. We turned our flying boat into a submarine," said tech2's skipper Luke Parkinson "We were lucky nobody got hurt and we definitely experienced the full power of the machine."
tech2's crew were unharmed and the machine only suffered minor cosmetic damage from the capsize but they weren't done yet. Crashing out for a second time in even more spectacular circumstances – with all three crew members getting wet. "Immediately after the crash I saw two smiling faces and instantly I knew I had chosen the right blokes. They trust me if I am fast or slow, but I tell you this - we are going to have our right foot straight to the floor," said the winner of the most recent Volvo Ocean Race leg to Hong Kong.
The all-Australian team were in good company, with the majority crewed outfit from Great Britain - iD Intranet - also touching down. Ed Powys getting the best view of the Adelaide skyline when he was sent airborne after a spill. In all three instances the SuperFoiler's chase boat was there to check on crew welfare seconds after the incidents took place, and reported no signs of injury to any of the six personnel involved in touchdowns during the day.
"Outer Harbour is probably the best venue we will visit in terms of access for spectators. tech2 came roaring along the harbour today, at god knows what speed, right next to the headland. It is going to make for some incredibly special viewing across the weekend," said SuperFoiler CEO Bill Macartney.
Racing starts this Friday with a twilight regatta on Adelaide's Outer Harbor. A livestream on OVO from the Royal South Australia Yacht Squadron - SuperFoiler's first stop of a five-regatta tour – will commence Saturday at 1pm and Sunday at 2pm. The SuperFoiler Grand Prix is staging five regattas across Australia starting with Adelaide in February before the Grand Final on Sydney Harbour commences on March 23.
Spectators can see the machines up close at various floating corporate hospitality venues across the country, with tickets available here
About SuperFoiler
The SuperFoiler Grand Prix is contested over five weekends at five iconic marine locations across Australia (South Australia, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and New South Wales) from February 2018.
The first regatta will be held on Adelaide's Outer Harbor from February 2nd- 4th. The Summer series will see the best sailors from around the world compete onboard six SuperFoiler's for the Ben Lexcen Trophy. The Grand Prix series runs from February to March and will be livestreamed on Plus7 with immersive post produced coverage airing on 7mate.
Fan Zones and Corporate Hospitality experiences are also available for live viewing - here