Hollywood backed Australian Sail GP crew run into strife in New York waters, day 1 drama, results

With Hollywood heavy Hugh Jackman cheering from afar the Australian SailGP team has gone from underwear modelling to underwater strife in the New York round of the sailing series

Australian and Brazil at the New York SailGP. Picture: Charly Triballea/AFP

New co-owners Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds were cheering from afar but it was a close encounter with an underwater obstacle that caused the Australian SailGP team trouble on a wet and miserable opening day of the New York round of the world sailing series.

After a week celebrating their backing by the Hollywood heavies and new sponsor Bonds, it was an underwater obstacle not underwear capturing headlines for the Australian SailGP team on Sunday.

Tom Slingsby, involved in an underwear shoot in the lead-up to the New York event, said he and his Australian crew ran into trouble in the third race on a day marred by driving rain, poor visibly, current and patches of light wind on the Hudson.

On course to be one of the leading teams heading into Monday’s final day where the event will be decided by a three-catamaran final, it all came unstuck in the final race on day one where the Australians posted the 10th to be in six place overall, one of the worst ever first day results in the history of the SailGP series.

But there was little Slingsby and his team could do after they hooked what he believes was a big plastic bag on their 50-foot foiling catamaran during the racing.

The Flying Roos

Hollywood heavies Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.

“We think we got something on the foil and couldn’t clear it so basically we couldn’t pop a hull (out of the water),’’ said Slingsby who won the second race.

“These things are difficult to clear. Sometimes with 5-1-10 to be in sixth place overall.

The fleet at the New York Sail GP event. Picture: Samo Vidic/SailGP via AP

“Sometimes you can use a stick to see if it pops off but there was just nothing we could do.

“It must have been something big. If I had to guess I’d say it was a plastic bag. We’ve seen a few of them out here.’’

Diego Botin’s Spanish team leads the fleet after the opening day ahead of France, Denmark and New Zealand.

RESULTS AFTER DAY 1 NEW YORK SAILGP

Spain (25 points)

Denmark (20 points)

France (20 points)

New Zealand (19 points)

Brazil (17 points)

Australia (17 points)

Germany (11 points)

Switzerland (10 points)

Canada (10 points)

Great Britain (7 points)

United States (6 points)

Italy (3 points)

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Originally published as Hollywood backed Australian Sail GP crew run into strife in New York waters, day 1 drama, results