With their return to competition confirmed by the league, Black Foils co-chief executive and wing trimmer Blair Tuke said it had been a challenging period for the team.
“It’s not been an easy time but we are proud of how we have stuck together as a team during this period,” he said.
“It’s really exciting to now be in the position to plan for racing again and I know we are all excited to be back out there doing what we love and representing the Black Foils. We felt good as a team to start the season and we are eager to get racing and put together the type of performances we know we are capable of.”
The Black Foils’ F50 catamaran was badly damaged in a collision with France in February. Photo / SailGP
Co-chief executive and driver Peter Burling said a return to racing was an exciting prospect. Burling has featured in the commentary booth at times during regattas with the Black Foils unable to sail.
“We couldn’t be more excited as a team to be back racing again. It’s been fantastic to see the progress made on the new boat on a couple of visits to SailGP Technologies and we are thrilled that the wait to get back out there is nearly over. We’ve had amazing support over this period off the water and we are hugely grateful for that,” he said.
Black Foils sailors Liv Mackay (strategist) and Marcus Hansen (grinder) have remained active during the team’s time away.
Mackay has been on loan with the French team for the last three events as their regular strategist Manon Audinet remains unavailable after the Auckland crash. Hansen joined the Danish team for the Bermuda and New York regattas in place of Luke Payne, who was unavailable for personal reasons.
It will be a new-look Black Foils team returning to the starting line, with experienced Kiwi sailor Stewart Dodson joining the team for the rest of the year. Dodson will sail in place of grinder Louis Sinclair, who continues to recover from the injuries he suffered in the February crash.
Dodson won the season four championship sailing with the Spanish team, before joining the Swiss for season five. The Kiwi began this season with the Swiss, but parted ways with the group before April’s regatta in Rio de Janeiro.
The Black Foils will travel to Halifax for a boat commissioning period in the week leading up to racing, with the regatta scheduled for June 21-22.
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.