SailGP casualties continue to mount. Super-sub called into Australian team

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com/nz 15 Jan 23:21 PST

The casualty list continues to climb at the first SailGP event of Season 6.

It was confirmed to this morning's SailGP Preview Session that Spain would not be competing this weekend due to the damage sustained to a T-Foil and its case during a test session yesterday. Previously it was hoped that the shore team would be able to perform one of their usual miracles and rectify the damage, but the extent of the damage meant this was an impossible task with the time and facilities available.

Red Bull Italy principal Jimmy Spithill took to the stage in the the Fremantle Adrenaline Lounge, in place of regular skipper Phil Robertson, who was described as "being under the weather", but was expected to be sailing on the first day of racing. Spithill took the wheel for the Practice racing session today.

The Australian team the Flying Roos are likely to be without new crew member Iain Jensen. Grinder Kinley Fowler stood in at the event preview, explaining his presence "Iain was crossing the boat and hurt his knee. So he's getting that looked at today. We're going to rest him today for sure, and then we're just going to assess it later on to see if he can join us for the weekend."

As a precautionary measure the Australian team have pulled three times America's Cup winner, Glenn Ashby into the camp. The super-sub should have little difficulty in sliding into Jensen's wingsail trimmer's seat. He did the same role, as well as skippering the then AC50, at the 2017 America's Cup in Bermuda, where Emirates Team New Zealand easily defeated the US Defender.

Fowler explained why he was at the Preview instead of skipper Tom Slingsby. "Tom's with Glenn now, and they're just briefing in case the worst comes to worst, and we have to Glenn sit in for the weekend. So we're going to go out there today with Glenn Ashby and try to get the team gelling together."

Artemis Racing skipper, Nathan Outteridge gave an update on the circumstances of the incident which resulted in wingsail trimmer Chris Draper having several stitches to his lower lip, after doing a face plant on the F50's trampoline during the first day of testing on Tuesday.

"Our first warm up lap on Tuesday didn't really go according to plan," he explained. "We did a round up at the at the leeward end of the course, and I just said, we'll just do a nice, easy one here. Keep lots of grip. And unfortunately, (foil controller) Andy Maloney just lost the grip slightly. We had a bit of a leeway skid. The foil vented, and then we got ejected into the sky. And unfortunately, a Chris Draper got flung onto the boat and got pretty badly hurt on his lip. So it was a bunch of stitches for him, and a day off on Wednesday, but he was back on board yesterday, and we're back sailing."

Draper's helmet has been fitted with a Hannibal Lecter style mask covering his nose and mouth.

"He was pretty quiet on the boat yesterday, as you can imagine," Outteridge explained. "It's pretty hard to talk when you got that many stitches in your lip, but he's really tough, and he's such a strong competitor. I told hime to take another day off and get into it today. But when you hire great people, they want to get back as soon as they can. So it was awesome to be sailing with him yesterday."

Aside from relating their various Patient Reports, several other changes were announced.

France SailGP skipper Quentin Delapierre announced the official name of his team for the new season: DS Automobiles Team France. As previously announced the French have picked up super-coach, Philippe Presti, enticing him away from Red Bull Italy. Also joining is British America's Cup and Olympic multihull sailor, Leigh McMillan.

Racing gets underway at 1500hrs local time on Saturday.