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Chloe Knott/AP
Spain’s SailGP team rises up during race one of the Sydney event on Saturday.
New Zealand’s debut SailGP event in Christchurch is facing a likely postponement after extreme weather forced the cancellation of this weekend’s leg in Sydney.
Day two of the Australian regatta was called off after “a major weather event” post-racing on Saturday resulted in significant damage to the fleet’s wing sails and at least one boat at the technical site.
“As far as we know, no one was seriously injured during the incident,” organisers said in a statement. “As a result of the damage, SailGP has had to cancel racing for the second day of the Sydney event.
“A full assessment of the damage is underway but it is likely some of the future SailGP events may also need to be delayed.
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“Further information will be released as it becomes available.”
The New Zealand leg – the first SailGP event to be staged in the country – is the next on the calendar, on March 18-19, with only the grand final in San Francisco to follow, on May 6-7.
Several onlookers captured on camera the scary scenes in Sydney, as Canada’s wing was hit by a gust and blown into a canvas shelter while being lifted by a crane. Workers and spectators were left running for safety as the equipment was flung in mid-air.
It came after a wild opening day of racing in the gusty, shifting winds on Sydney Harbour, which had seen Great Britain lose grinder Matt Gotrel overboard at one stage, before he was hauled back in.
New Zealand, on their borrowed boat, with theirs back home undergoing repairs after being hit by lightning, endured a frustrating day, placing ninth, third and fourth in the three races.
France moved to within a point of the second-placed Kiwis on the overall standings after winning all three races on Saturday.
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