SailGP: French ready to race in Rio; Practice racing cancelled in Sydney
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World NZ 26 Feb 15:43 PST
Fox Sports Sam Squiers with Russell Coutts and Quentin Delapierre at the media conference - KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix - Sydney - February 27, 2026 © Andrew Baker/SailGP
The French team DS Automobiles, who were involved in a spectular collison in Race 3 of ITM NZ SailGP will be ready to race in Event 4, in Rio de Janerio on April 12-13.
"There's a bit of certainty here around the French team" SailGP CEO Russell Coutts told the Media Conference ahead of the start of SailGP Sydney, on Friday. "The team at Southern Spars in Auckland New Zealand, have done a remarkable job of, of getting the French boat back in order.
"It's just about at the stage now where it is being painted and it it will be back on the start line in Rio for the next event. So good news."
No mention was made of the situation facing the Black Foils, which was also badly damaged, and held by the International Jury to have been at fault in the incident, in which two crew members were injured.
After the Media Conference finished, Sail-World has been advised by sources, quoting teams, that all Practice Racing for Friday has been cancelled, on the basis of forecast thunderstormss. Four F50s were in the water at the times, and the six-hour rig and launch process was well underway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC0U99W3jx0?si=erAUpDHs5m-rorni