What a Week: New F50 Gets Launched Then Smashed

SinC SailGP F50 SPIRIT Australia

March 1, 2023

What a difference a few days makes. On the Tuesday of the second week in February, the strategist of the Canada SailGP Team and National Sailing Team 49erFX sailor, Georgia Lewin-Lafrance from Chester, NS did the honours last week naming the team’s new F50 SPIRIT, just before the team’s inaugural sail in preparation for the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix.

On Saturday, just four days later, the boat was already on the Disabled List when a severe weather system passed through while the Canada SailGP Team’s F50 catamaran was craning out after the first day of racing. The Canadian wing was severely damaged; thankfully, no one on the team was seriously injured.  

Given the extensive damage to several wings and the team’s F50, racing for Sunday was cancelled and the results allocated on the basis of Saturday’s sailing. The storm wreaked havoc in parts of the city and left 60,000 people without power.

The next race goes in just a couple of weeks in Christchurch, NZ.

SinC SailGP F50 SPIRIT Australia 2 400SinC SailGP F50 SPIRIT Australia 3 400

{youtube}jWY-kkP5prM{/youtube}

Related Articles

  • Sail GP Returns to HFX in 2026

    Sail GP Returns to HFX in 2026

    Apr 16, 2025 Sail Nova Scotia has been selected as the host of the 2026 Canada Sail Grand Prix to be held in June next year. Exact dates and ticket information will be announced at a later date. SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: “We are thrilled to be heading back to Halifax – a… Read More…

  • LOOR courses to run in Canadian waters for 2025

    LOOR courses to run in Canadian waters for 2025

    Apr 15, 2025 After some racers expressed concern about travelling to the US, LOOR conducted a survey of all the LOSHRS racers. The results of the survey were decisively in favour of altering the courses to remain in Canadian waters. The LOOR committee, along with some Ambassadors who were attending the meeting, decided that, for the safety… Read More…