A pre-race training session on Waitematā Harbour in Auckland took a dramatic turn for the Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team when the team’s F50 suddenly turned, resulting in the crew being flung about the boat.
No injuries were reported and the cause of the incident is under investigation.
During the training session The Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team – led by double Olympic Gold medalist Martine Grael – hit a max speed of 41 kts (76.2 km/h) as the team practiced maneuvers and getting familiar with the new high-speed T-Foils.
Mubadala Brazil is one of two new nations to join the league this season, alongside the Red Bull Italy SailGP Team. This weekend, they will be joined by the league’s final national team this season when France returns to race in the newly-completed ‘boat 12.’
Stepping off the water, Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team flight controller Andy Maloney described the session as a ‘baptism by fire.’
Earlier the New Zealand Black Foils team recorded a top speed of 52.5 kts ( 97.2 km/h) on their first day with the new high-speed T-Foils.
Peter Burling’s home team were putting the F50 – and the new T-Foils – through their paces during training ahead of this weekend’s ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix.
The Kiwis were training alongside Spain, Canada and Mubadala Brazil – all of which recorded top speeds exceeding 48.5 kts (90 km/h).
The second event of the Rolex SailGP 2025 Season Championship gets underway this weekend in the ‘City of Sails.’ The Black Foils enter the weekend first on the season leaderboard after a commanding victory in Dubai.
The T-Foils will be introduced fleet-wide for the first time this weekend as part of a high-speed racing configuration. The hope is that the innovation, which has undergone strenuous testing prior to the rollout, will deliver higher speeds and closer racing than before.
The ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix, Auckland takes place on 18-19 January.
