Spain’s Los Gallos SailGP Team face a nervous wait in Perth after a training crash left their F50 with significant damage just days out from the season opener.
The incident occurred during practice racing off Fremantle, near Bathers Beach, in classic Fremantle Doctor conditions. The breeze was strong, the sea state short and sharp, and the boats were fully loaded. Los Gallos were competing in the second practice race when the damage occurred during a gybe. No sailors were injured, but the boat sustained heavy structural harm.
SailGP’s Tech Team recovered the F50 and immediately began a detailed inspection. With the Oracle Perth Sail Grand Prix presented by KPMG marking the first of 13 events in the 2026 season, the timing could hardly be worse.
Driver Diego Botín confirmed the seriousness of the situation, explaining that both board cases were affected.
“During the gybe, the board case snapped and we had quite a big crash,” Botín said. “The board case is damaged, the board is damaged, and also the hull. We need to wait for the Tech Team assessment to know if we can race this weekend or not.”
On an F50, damage in this area is critical. The board case carries immense load, transferring foil lift and side force directly into the hull structure. When it fails mid manoeuvre, the loss of support often causes secondary damage, turning a single break into a much wider structural problem.
Botín said the crew focused on limiting further harm after the impact.
“We made a big effort to minimise the damage getting back to shore,” he said. “Now it’s in the hands of the Tech Team. They know these boats better than anyone, but we won’t know how bad it really is for a few hours.”
Even if repairs are possible, they must be class compliant, structurally sound, and formally signed off. In SailGP, that process races the clock.
Ironically, Botín said the session had been shaping up well before the crash, with winds gusting around 40 kilometres per hour and solid wave action.
“We were feeling super strong around the course,” he said. “That makes it a big disappointment.”
Los Gallos are not the first to be caught out by Fremantle’s conditions. Los Gallos are not the first to be punished in training off Fremantle. Earlier, Artemis SailGP Team wing trimmer Chris Draper was taken to hospital after suffering facial injuries in a training crash in similar conditions.For now, their Perth start remains uncertain, pending a repair decision that could define their opening to the season.
