La Roche-Posay Racing Team capsize their AC75 on fourth sailing day

La Roche-Posay Racing Team capsized their AC75 during a training session in Lorient on Tuesday 7 July. All crew members are safe and the boat has returned to the team’s base.

In a statement on the La Roche-Posay Racing Team’s Instagram, it is noted that the capsize was due to a ‘systems issue’.

The image of the capsize, shared on the team’s Instagram, shows the foil arm still raised. Although unconfirmed, the raised foil arm could potentially be the cause of the capsize. In the recon footage (see below), smoke is seen coming out of the boat.

This is in line with previous recon reports that have noted difficulties with the foil arm system.

An excerpt from the recon report on the team’s first sailing day states, “During end-of-day handling, one foil was seen being pushed down manually rather than through the foil cant system, although whether this related to the earlier interruption or formed part of normal handling could not be determined.”

Similarly, the recon report from the team’s second sailing day cited an issue relating to a foil arm, “the starboard-to-port gybe looked difficult to complete cleanly, with slow windward foil-raise.”

We’ll bring you more information as the story develops.