This is sailing, more precisely racing on high-speed sailing catamarans with hydrofoils — the format SailGP.
Such boats literally "take off" above the water on foils and can accelerate to over 100 km/h.
Six months ago in Auckland, two boats collided at a speed of almost 90 km/h — and it looked like the end of the season for both teams. Today, on the Baltic Sea near Sassnitz, the same crews of New Zealand and France took the top two spots in their group after the qualifying races.
The catastrophe in February destroyed not only the catamarans but also careers: New Zealander Louis Sinclair suffered complex fractures in both legs, Frenchwoman Manon Audinet internal injuries. Both teams missed several events while building new boats and healing wounds. The return to Germany became their first serious test of recovery.
Peter Burling and his Black Foils showed that speed and control have returned: two wins in five group races. The French, led by Quentin Delapierre, were literally a step behind — just one point behind. Notably, Delapierre immediately found common ground with new trimmer Lee McMillan, who returned after a severe shoulder injury sustained in the same incident.
On Saturday, the French set a new speed record — 58,1 knots, two knots higher than Denmark's previous achievement on the same waters. But Delapierre was more pleased not with the record but with the cohesive work of the entire team in the seven boats of Group A. This is no longer just a comeback — it's a signal that the psychological barrier has been overcome.
Compare with everyday life: after a serious accident, a driver first fears getting behind the wheel again, then cautiously drives on an empty road, and then suddenly realizes they can drive as confidently as before. That is exactly what happened to the two crews on the Baltic.
Australia ultimately won the whole weekend, but for New Zealand and France, the main thing is not the final position but that they are back in the game. The next event in Valencia will show how far they can go this season.
