Russell Coutts AC45 yacht capsizes in San Francisco

Posted on 14 June 2011 by Valencia Sailing

[Source: Oracle Racing] After Monday’s media sail the team’s two crews, led by helmsmen James Spithill and Russell Coutts, engaged in exhibition racing run by America’s Cup Principal Race Officer John Craig. He set a course that featured a reaching start to a turning mark around which the crews unfurled the gennakers and turned downwind.

After rounding the leeward mark the two crews sailed up to a windward mark before another blasting run downwind and a final beat to the finish. The race lasted no more than 20 minutes.

The good times were dampened in the second pre-start, when ORACLE Racing Boat No. 5, helmed by Coutts, capsized during the pre-start. In action similar to Friday, both bows buried and the boat went nearly vertical before capsizing to starboard.

“We got caught in the pre-start at the wrong angle and paid the price,” said Coutts, who fell through the lower part of the front element of the wingsail. “The boats are spectacular, hard to sail. They’re gonna test the best sailors in the world. Luckily I had the crash helmet on.”

During the incident crewman Shannon Falcone injured his ribs. “It was all in slow motion,” said Falcone, one of the strongest members of the team. “I didn’t think it was going to go all the way over.”

Falcone walked under his own power to an ambulance waiting shoreside and was taken to the hospital for a precautionary X-ray.

“I would’ve preferred it didn’t happen, but it’s all learning,” Coutts said. “Frankly, I’ve got to see these sort of things to learn how hard to push it and what not to do. It’s lots of learning for me.”

Russell Coutts' AC45 yacht capsizes. San Francisco, 13 June 2011. Photo copyright Gilles Martin-Raget / America's Cup Event Authority

Russell Coutts' AC45 yacht capsizes. San Francisco, 13 June 2011. Photo copyright Gilles Martin-Raget / America's Cup Event Authority

7 Comments For This Post

  1. WELL CHRIS Says:

    It could not have happen to a nicer guy…Lets hope they do it every day..Every dog has its day…Lemon

  2. Norberto Marcher-Mühle Says:

    big ooops moment, isn’t it, boss?

  3. snake Says:

    what was russel doing on the boat isnt he over 40?

  4. Norman Frankenfurter Says:

    Bet Murray and Simon had a good laugh at that

  5. FGS Says:

    The best sailors in the world are doing 38knts at night on a VOR70, fully max’d on the limit….

  6. Jose Says:

    Pabersematao

  7. Crew Says:

    Fly russel fly… Perhaps the landing brings you back on plane earth…
    But the new video style is very cool – like the music

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