United States SailGP Team capsized Monday on San Francisco Bay during a training session for this weekend’s SailGP season final.
All athletes were safe and accounted for following the incident with the team’s F50 catamaran sustaining minimal damage.
The USA SailGP Team, helmed by Jimmy Spithill, capsized as they sailed past Alcatraz Island during a practice session ahead of the San Francisco upcoming Mubadala United Sail Grand Prix, on 26 and 27 March.
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.
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.
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 firsthand.
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.
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