News & Features | ISAF | World Sailing | Official Site : Team New Zealand lose mast on NZL57

News

3 May 2002, 07:43 am

Team New Zealand lose mast on NZL57

America's Cup

Team New Zealand's defence of the America's Cup suffered a setback today when one of their two boats snapped a mast while training on the Hauraki Gulf off Auckland.

Team New Zealand's two boats were side by side nearing the end of a practice race when the mast on NZL57 snapped.

"We heard a loud bang and not long after that the rig started to break. It fell straight down into the water," Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker said.

"It's obviously very disappointing. It has a big impact on our programme," Barker told Radio Sport.

He said the break was due to a mechanical or structural fault, but the cause could not be found until the boat was returned to shore.

Fortunate the team have a spare rig and will be back on the water with both boats by Monday.

ISAF Secretariat

World Sailing TV

Lithuania's Juozas Bernotas came out on top in the Men's RS:X whilst Russia's Stefania Elfutina was triumphant in the Women's RS:X. Both sailors claim the first Abu Dhabi ISAF Sailing World Cup Final spots whilst Jock Calvert (AUS) and Joanna Sterling (AUS) picked up the Oceanic spots for the Emirati finale.

A tight group of five young Papua New Guinean (PNG) Laser sailors are stepping up their 2015 Pacific Games competition program using this week's ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne. PNG is one of 33 countries represented at the important Oceanic event, the largest Olympic sailing regatta in the southern hemisphere.