A serious collision marked the first day of ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix, the Auckland stage of SailGP, on Saturday 14 February 2026. Teams Black Foils, from The incident occurred during the third race of the day, when the New Zealand team’s F50 catamaran suddenly lost control and crossed the path of the French vessel. Grinder Louis Sinclair, from Black Foils, suffered serious injuries and required surgery.
The accident began when the Black Foils was sailing at high speed, close to 50 knots, in the sprint leg. The team was positioned to windward and was executing a high foil maneuver. Suddenly, the foil control system reached a safety limit on the port foil, which regulates negative rake to prevent instability. Essa activation caused a sudden reaction from the vessel, which yawed and presented a nose dive, with the port foil sinking under pressure. The result was an abrupt change of course that placed the New Zealand F50 directly in the path of França, which was heading to leeward.
The bow of the French catamaran passed over the starboard hull of Black Foils, close to the shrouds, causing significant damage to both vessels. The grinder Louis Sinclair was trapped in the front compartment during the impact and suffered open fractures on both legs. Ele was taken to Auckland City Hospital, where he underwent surgery on his right leg and remained under observation. Outro sailor also suffered minor injuries. Both teams were immediately withdrawn from the competition, and day 1 was concluded after only two full races.
Technical details of the incident
The foil system limit was activated when the vessel was high on the foil and sliding sideways. Peter Burling, skipper of Black Foils, explained that the system worked as designed to protect against other problems. However, the activation combined with current conditions quickly escalated the situation. The team had to take evasive action to avoid further contact, but the movement resulted in them touching the water and losing control.
Blair Tuke, co-founder of Black Foils, highlighted that conditions were flat water with strong gusts coming from Westhaven. Ele stated that the wind and sea were within the operational limits of the F50. The collision occurred at high speed, which increased structural damage to the hulls and hydrofoil components.
Consequences for teams
Black Foils will not participate in the next event in Sydney and is awaiting guidance from the SailGP organization on returning to competition. The damaged hulls were taken for repairs at the Southern Spars facility, at Avondale, West Auckland. The team is now facing a physical and emotional recovery process, especially for the affected grinder.
DS Automobiles France also left the event with serious damage to the F50, making it impossible to participate the following day. The French team was leading the fleet at the time of the incident and reacted immediately upon seeing the New Zealand vessel’s sudden change of course. The French sailors only suffered minor injuries.
Positioning of the teams involved
Peter Burling described the moment as a combination of factors that led to the activation of the system limit. Ele reinforced that the boat operated normally until the moment before the problem. The New Zealand team started the day with good performance in the first two races.
França considered the incident inevitable due to the sudden turn of Black Foils. The crew performed evasive maneuvers but were unable to avoid contact. The team’s perspective is that the abrupt change in course made the collision inescapable.
Recovery and next steps
Louis Sinclair was released from the hospital after surgery and remains in recovery. The Black Foils team uses the grinder’s resilience as motivation to overcome the episode. Repairs to the F50 require significant time and resources.
SailGP records two serious collisions in the first events of Season 6. League authorities are reviewing the incident to determine adjustments or additional safety measures. The regattas continued on Sunday in windier conditions, without both teams involved.
The incident highlights the risks inherent in high-speed competitions using foil technology. Teams continue to focus on athlete preparation and safety while awaiting updates on the calendar.
