Rolex TP52 World Championship: Brutal World Championship opener - man overboard at "Platoon Aviation"

For the three-time world champions of Harm Müller-Spreer's "Platoon Aviation", the Rolex TP52 World Championship off Cascais began with a scary experience. In the very first race of the series, foreshipman Sean Doogie went overboard towards the end. Following initial examinations in hospital on Wednesday evening, it is now clear that he at least came through the accident unscathed, although further examinations are pending.

Rolex TP52 WM: spectacular conditions

"I really had to hold on to the media boat to avoid going overboard," said co-commentator and 470 World Champion Luise Wanser before the accident, reporting on the spectacular conditions on the water. The powerful TP52 racing machines powered through the World Championship area in winds of up to 30 knots and sometimes more. On the last downwind section, "Platoon Aviation" was in about sixth position when the foresailor was taken off board in winds from two consecutive waves.

After two general recalls, the first race began in pressurised conditions. After the first upwind section, "Platoon Aviation" with helmsman Markus Wieser, who was standing in for owner Harm Müller-Spreer who was unable to attend work, and tactician Vasco Vascotto were initially positioned in midfield. The team pushed hard and fought. Then there was an accident on the last downwind section: the windward kite sheet jammed on the first gybe. Foresailor Sean Doogie Couvreux had to cut it before preparations for a second jibing sheet could begin.

"The quickest solution was to grab the sheet on the luff of the kite from the bowsprit and attach the new sheet to the cut point so we could jibe. In hindsight, I should have done this with a boat hook, but I was worried about how long it would take," Sean Dougie Couvreux later wrote in a detailed report. He continued: "I made it to the bowsprit, got the sheet and worked my way back. As most foreship people know, there is a 'no man's land' area on the way back before you can reach the pulpit. I grabbed the pulpit, but now I had to turn round to get back on board."

Luck in misfortune for the man overboard

Then unfortunate circumstances came together, as Doogie reported on social media: "Just as I started, the bow hit a wave and washed me off the bowsprit. I basically landed on the bobstay. Michi Mueller quickly ran forwards, reaching out his hand to grab me and pull me on board. At that moment, another wave caught me and washed me into the water, but both my legs were still hanging on the other side of the bobstay."

An uphill struggle ensued: "When I was pinned underwater with my legs on the other side, I realised I was in a pretty bad position." Sean Doogie had to use all his strength to stretch out his leg and free himself. His report: "As I was running out of air, I hit the underside of the hull until I surfaced at the back. I signalled to the boat that I was conscious and could swim myself. A referee boat quickly pulled me out of the water and brought me back to the boat."

Sean Doogie described the experience as "one of the scariest in my sailing career", but also praised the highly professional way his team and the umpires on the water handled the situation. Helmsman Markus Wieser reported on Thursday morning: "Sean was in hospital last night for a check-up and has another appointment this morning with a suspected muscle tear. They couldn't tell at the hospital at first because his leg was so swollen."

Rolex TP 52 WM: Michi Müller on the forecastle?

If Sean Doogie is not fit for duty, Michael Müller would take over the forecastle and a member of the Shore Crew would join the crew. In addition to the man overboard, the crew on "Platoon Aviation" had to deal with some problems with the systems below deck, which had to be fixed for the next races today. Markus Wieser had described the conditions the day before as "sometimes brutal" and "at the limit of what is possible". Today, the World Championship races three and four continue.

Takashi Okura's US yacht "Sled" initially took the lead after day one with a race win and third place. It was followed by Jean-Luc Petithuguenins' Team Paprec (4/1), led by Loïck Peyron, and American Magic Quantum Racing (3/2). "Platoon Aviation" (11/4) was initially in sixth place. The Rolex TP52 World Championship continues on 3 July with races three and four.

For jack-of-all-trades Loïck Peyron, Wednesday was his first race win since the Frenchman joined the 52 Super Series last year. His team represented the happy side of the field at the world championship opener. "We were there!" said Peyron, beaming, "I don't know what it was, maybe the French touch or something, but the funny thing is that in the last race we won - my first win in the 52 Super Series - we had no electronics at all, no numbers, we just had a good feeling."

Live broadcast of the Rolex TP52 World Championship

Loïck Peyron said: "And that's an important message: too much data destroys the feeling. We only had 'speed' and 'course'. For us, this symbol of race victory is important." Click here for the interim season standings of the 52 Super Series and the results of the Rolex TP52 World Championship. The Live coverage of World Cup day two begins on 3 July from 1.45 pm here.

REPLAY! The live broadcast of the first race day of the Rolex TP52 World Championship: