British SailGP team joins the 50 knot-plus club in practice
Australia claims it broke the 50-knot barrier, but Great Britain is the first SailGP team to confirm itA day after the US SailGP team narrowly averted a high-speed training catastrophe, the British team has broken the 50-knot barrier.
Training for the British leg of the international match racing series, the boat hit a flying speed of 50.22 knots on its fourth practice run on the Solent – the equivalent of 93km/h over land.
“We’re always trying to push the boundaries, and to be honest, it feels pretty wicked to get a notch up on [Australia SailGP team skipper] Tom Slingsby,” Great Britain SailGP team skipper Dylan Fletcher said.
“Cowes has a long history of hosting iconic sailing events and we knew this stretch of water, with the right conditions, could set us up well for breaking this record.
“It’s unbelievable how far sailing has progressed in the last few years and SailGP and these F50s really represent the next generation of our sport.
“We now can't wait to hit it again in racing and really showcase these fantastic boats.”
The news comes a day after the US team reported a near-catastrophe when its boat lifted so high on the leeward foil that it almost came out of the water.
Video on social media shows the team talking calmly to each other as they work out how to bring the boat back from the edge.
“Just gonna set it down for a moment, boys,” a clearly shaken helmsman Rome Kirby is heard saying shortly after the incident.
Racing in Cowes starts on Sunday.
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