The first pre-race press conference since the serious accident in Auckland was always going to be closely watched, with teams, media, and fans eager to hear what investigators had found and how the injured athletes were progressing. What followed was a wide-ranging session covering safety reviews, fleet format discussions, crew updates, and plenty of competitive anticipation ahead of racing on Sydney Harbour.
DS Team France driver Quentin Delapierre opened alongside Russell Coutts, providing the first significant public update on his injured teammates. Manon Audinet, he confirmed, is coming along well, with the team actively supporting both her physical and emotional recovery. Louis, however, is taking longer to recover following two broken legs sustained in the Auckland incident.
Quentin acknowledged the difficulty of remaining onshore while other teams race. The French squad will focus this weekend on monitoring competitors and continuing to sharpen their own skills. He noted that the team had been going well before the Auckland crash, and expressed confidence that Artemis and the Spanish team, who had a tough start to the season, are both primed to perform strongly in Sydney.
Russell Coutts offered a detailed account of the ongoing investigation into what happened in Auckland. Engineers have been able to recreate the incident precisely in a virtual environment, accounting for how high the boat was travelling, the sideways slip, and the exact positions of hardware at the moment of the crash. Investigators also reviewed response protocols and the performance of the emergency teams who came aboard to account for all athletes.
Beyond reconstructing the event, engineers are examining every aspect of boat safety, from control systems through to the clothing and protective equipment worn by athletes, identifying where future modifications might reduce risk.
On fleet format, Coutts said the split fleet concept represents genuine progress. It has already been tested in practice and is expected to become standard next year when the 14th team joins. He was careful to note that splitting the fleet would not have prevented what happened in Auckland in every situation. In congested sections of a racecourse it makes a real difference, but in other parts of the course it would not necessarily have helped.
Coutts also confirmed that the French team's boat is close to being painted at Southern Spars in Auckland and will be on the start line in Rio.
Separately, Manon Audinet is expected to appear on a Canal+ conversation this weekend.
The second half of the press conference brought together Tom Slingsby, Hannah Mills, Martine Grael, Giles Scott, and Nathan Outteridge, with the tone shifting firmly toward the racing ahead.
Tom Slingsby was quick to note that the Roo-crew will be out on the water in Sydney this weekend, and the home harbour advantage was not far from his mind. He expressed admiration for how the British performed in Sydney last year, though Australia is firmly focused on maintaining their winning streak from the last Grand Prix in Auckland.
Hannah Mills from Emirates GBR said the team feels good carrying the momentum of last year's Sydney win, while acknowledging the weight of expectation that comes with being considered one of the leading teams in the fleet. The rivalry between Australia and Great Britain across a range of sailing disciplines gave the exchange between Slingsby and Mills an enjoyable edge.
Nathan Outteridge's enthusiasm for Sydney Harbour was clear. He has been sailing there since childhood and has friends and family coming to watch. Having followed every Grand Prix last year from the sidelines, Sydney was the event he most wished he could have been part of, and this weekend he finally gets that chance. He was under no illusions about the difficulty ahead. The easterly wind will pose a serious challenge for drivers and tacticians alike, with eyes constantly out of the boat. Managing the breeze as it rips around Shark Island, which he called the best view in the house, will likely be the decider in the races.
Martine Grael reflected on a season of sharp contrasts for Brazil. Last year felt like snakes and ladders, and this season has brought its own challenges in getting the team fully united. This weekend brings further disruption, with two crew members absent for personal reasons, meaning those remaining will need to pull harder together and perform even better. She noted that the conditions forecast for Sydney feel similar to those the team encounters at home in Brazil.
Giles Scott spoke about the challenge of stepping into a mature team like Canada, noting how tight the leaderboard is and observing that small changes can make a massive difference to standings. He also took a moment to acknowledge his former teammates at Emirates GBR, having moved across from that squad to Canada.
One further update emerged: Iain Jensen, known within the Australian team as Goobs, has been cleared to sail this weekend and is set to trial again today.
