Watch as 'rogue' spectator boat sparks shock 'pile-up' with SailGP start abandoned amid 'absolute chaos' in Portsmouth
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Published 20/07/2025 at 19:14 GMT+1
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Emirates Great Britain were top of the SailGP Portsmouth leaderboard but found themselves in choppy waters at the start of Race 6. However, Dylan Fletcher and his crew were given a reprieve when a "rogue" spectator boat caused the fleet race to be abandoned as several F50 catamarans were forced to swerve to avoid it. Great Britain went on to reach the final of the seventh event of the season.
'Like driving a golf cart onto an F1 track!' - Stray boat causes 'absolute chaos' at Sail GP start
Video credit: TNT Sports
Emirates Great Britain breathed a sigh of relief after a "rogue" spectator boat brought Race 6 of SailGP Portsmouth to a sudden halt.
Lining up late after rushing to fix a technical issue, the home favourites led by Olympic gold medallist Dylan Fletcher were granted some extra time to optimise their craft when the penultimate fleet race was called off just as it was about to commence.
The public boat had sailed unawares directly into the path of several onrushing F50 catamarans, which can reach speeds of up to 53 knots or 61mph, causing a pile-up and bringing two F50s to a halt.
TNT Sports commentators Stevie Morrison and Todd Harris were left gobsmacked by the incident as "absolute chaos" unfolded before their eyes.
"Looks like we might have a fan on the pitch there," pointed out Morrison on TNT Sports and discovery+. "There was a boat gone into the security area.
"We don't get streakers or anything like that in SailGP, but that boat running into the course there, something for the crews to watch out for, being kept safe by our marshals there.
"It's really tight in the middle here. The Spanish boat is tight, they're going to have to take avoiding action. It's real chaos in there; it's really, really busy.
"There's a pile-up at the bottom and the Swiss are in that pile-up. Disaster for Switzerland. They're so slow right now."
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'A masterclass' - Great Britain enjoy dream start and breeze to Race 1 win at home SailGP
Video credit: TNT Sports
Emirates GBR were lining up suboptimally in ninth position when the start klaxon was due to sound, but the race committee came to their rescue with a timely announcement to stop sailing.
"We're getting word now that the race has been abandoned," said Harris. "We had a rogue boat out in the middle of the start. Stevie, you pointed it out. Absolute chaos there. It's like driving a golf cart onto an F1 track."
Morrison added: "We haven't had pirates in Portsmouth for quite a while, Todd, but they came in there and they ambushed our start, that's for sure.
"Thankfully, everyone's safe, good decision to stop that. It wasn't a fair start, it wasn't going to be safe, so let's get that spectator boat off the course ASAP and we'll get back to action.
"But potentially, a real lucky break for Emirates Great Britain. Now they have a bit more time to get things back and fixed and ready to go. We don't see that every day."
Fletcher's crew were top of the leaderboard going into the sixth race, with an 11-point buffer on fourth, with the top three set to compete in the event's final.
Having already done most of the hard work, a sixth and seventh-placed finish was enough to send Great Britain through to the showpiece race, which was won by Peter Burling's New Zealand.
Emirates GBR currently sit fourth in the championship standings, four points adrift of New Zealand with five events to come.
Stream SailGP, The Ocean Race Atlantic and The Ocean Race Europe live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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