Source: Radio New Zealand
New Zealand and French boats crash during SailGP racing on Waitematā Harbour. Phil Walter
New Zealand SailGP
11.30am Sunday, 15 February*
Wynyard Point, Auckland
Live updates on RNZ
*Start time has been changed due to the weather
Kiwi SailGP driver Phil Robertson hopes the high-speed crash between New Zealand and France on Auckland’s Waitematā Harbour will force a rethink of racing format for the rest of the 2026 championship.
Competition was suspended during race three of New Zealand SailGP, after the two rivals collided during the sprint to the first mark. Replays showed the Black Foils apparently lose control of their rudder and spin into the path of the French, whose boat flew over the bow of Amokura.
All crew were quickly accounted for, but two sailors – one from each team – were injured and rushed ashore to hospital.
The rest of the fleet continued around the mark, but the contest was called off, as they headed back towards the scene of the crash, where the two boats were still entangled midcourse.
Soon after, organisers suspended racing for the day. The French boat was towed back to Wynyard Basin, but Amokura lay in pieces on the harbour and likely be out of action for quite a while.
The incident shook up the entire fleet, with Italian team driver Robertson recounting his own close call in the build-up.
“It’s obviously pretty hectic,” he said. “You never really want to see anything like that.
Italy driver Phil Robertson holds court at the SailGP media conference. Alan Lee/Photosport
“It’s a bit shocking, but it’s racing and it was a racing incident that went on out there.”
Auckland-born Robertson described how the New Zealand boat initially veered towards his boat, but seemed to regain control to avoid that contact.
“I saw them in my peripheral, as they started sliding towards us, then took a glance over my shoulder and saw them spin out. I didn’t really see the rest, until we stopped and looked back, and saw two boats on top of each other – it’s not very nice to see that.
“These boats are pretty hard to control at those high speeds and everyone’s pushing like mad on those reaches. They got a bit slidey, which is very natural to happen, and slid towards us, but you trust they’re going to get grip again and they did.”
New Zealand SailGP is the first time the fleet has raced with 13 boats, with Artemis Sweden joining the championship this year.
At last month’s season-opener in Perth, the Spanish boat suffered damage in practice and was unable to compete.
Organisers hope to add another team next year and have experimented with splitting the fleet into two heats of seven.
“I think it’s the shortest racecourse in SailGP and 13 boats… yeah, I don’t know,” Robertson offered. “I think questions will be asked.
“I think when it’s conditions like this, I think that [two fleets] will be the expectation. We know it’s going to be tricky and there will be crashes, but it just minimises the risk, when there’s a bit more space on the course.
“Bigger courses sure, 13 boats no problem, but I think small courses and big breeze, when everyone’s on the limit of control already, it’s probably a smart idea to start having that conversation seriously.
“I assume a few sailors will be asking a few questions.”
Despite the Auckland incident, British driver Dylan Fletcher still favours the bigger fleet.
“I’d rather it stay as one fleet,” the defending SailGP champion said. “It doesn’t honestly feel that different, whether you’ve got 11 or 13.
“It’s relatively similar. Even at the start, you’ve got that separation.
“From my point of view, I love the racing with 13 boats. It’s unfortunate we won’t have that for a little bit of while now, but that’s the way it is.”
New Zealand and France come together midfleet, as they sprinted to the first mark of race three. Phil Walter
Robertson has been a SailGP fixture since the professional sailing began in 2019, steering teams from China, Spain and Canada, before joining the Italian outfit last year.
With a weather bomb forecast for the North Island this weekend, the local lad was quizzed about the prospect of racing in big winds on the Waitematā at Friday’s official media conference.
His reaction: “You wet your pants a little and move on.”
Italy narrowly avoided their own disaster, when they were caught in a gust of win that almost tipped them over during the build-up to race one. They barely managed to regain equilibrium and bring their boat back down on both hulls.
Sunday racing has already been moved forward a few hours to avoid the worst of the weather, but most drivers anticipate even more testing conditions on day two.
“Look, the accident was obviously extremely unfortunate, but I don’t think anyone’s really going to change,” Robertson said. “It’s a little bit out of the ordinary and you trust everyone’s being careful out there.
“That’s probably a situation I don’t think anyone envisioned, a boat spinning out and getting run over. It’s always in our mind that someone may crash in front of you, but coming from that position the Kiwis were in and into the French like that, no-one’s really thought about that situation before.”
“I think all the sailors are pretty shaken up, seeing that sight. It’s not something you want to see and I’m sure it affects everyone a bit.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand