Sailing-Black Foils focus on future after tough SailGP season

Black Foils co-CEO Blair Tuke stated that the New Zealand team is focusing on the future after a challenging SailGP season. A high-speed crash with France in February forced them to be shorebound for months, missing four races while SailGP built a replacement F50 catamaran. Tuke described the season as "really tough," emphasizing that they had four months without sailing or racing as a team.

Despite this, they are now building for the upcoming season and developing new talent. The team is currently 12th on the season leaderboard and aims to win race weekends to build processes and experience for the future. Tuke supports the new group racing format, which splits the 13-strong fleet into two categories, as a precaution against incidents like the one in Auckland.

MSP Sports Capital's acquisition of a majority stake in Black Foils provides an "exciting opportunity" both on and off the water, allowing the team to become a global sports brand representing New Zealand. Tuke also highlighted the importance of protecting the oceans, which he considers key to the future of the planet. He founded the Live Ocean Foundation with co-CEO Pete Burling to raise awareness about ocean health and integrate their campaigns into their daily work.