A high-speed collision between New Zealand and France brought Auckland Race 3 to an abrupt end, leaving all competitors without points.
The fleet got away cleanly at 4.52pm into a freshening breeze. Conditions had built since the previous race, with gusts sharpening and growing more uneven across the course. On the second leg, in those strengthening winds, New Zealand and France came together at speed. From observation on the water, New Zealand appeared to briefly lose balance in a gust before contact occurred. Safety teams responded immediately.
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Before the collision brought proceedings to a halt, there had already been incident on the water. Shortly after the start, France lodged a protest against New Zealand, and the umpires penalised the Black Foils for failing to give room.
At Mark 1, the fleet had been running in tight formation. Denmark rounded within half a second of the lead, with Canada directly behind. United States, Great Britain, and Australia were all within three seconds of the front. Margins were minimal and the course remained congested, with boats approaching Mark 2 separated by only seconds.
A yellow flag was displayed as the leading group converged near the top of the course. Moments later, the red flag signalled the abandonment of Race 3.
No result was recorded and no points were awarded.
The abandonment underscores the intensity of racing in Auckland's confined course area, where tight spacing and a rising breeze leave little margin for error. Racing was scheduled to continue pending further assessment.
