Japan entry to use hybrid boat in SailGP racing on Saturday

SYDNEY (AP) — Japan's entry will use a hybrid boat on the second day of the Sydney round of SailGP racing after their F50 catamaran sustained serious damage in a collision with Britain on Friday.

The collision occurred at the pre-start of the third and final fleet race. It resulted in the front of the right hull of Japan’s F50 being sliced off.

Japan, driven by Australian 2012 Olympic 49er gold medalist Nathan Outteridge, will use its own wing sail and foils and the base of the Britain boat.

Britain skipper Ben Ainslie offered his team’s boat to Japan immediately after the end of racing on Day 1, accepting he was to blame for the incident. Britain has withdrawn from the second day in Sydney, meaning there will be just seven teams contesting the last two fleet races.

The three highest point-scorers after the five fleet races over the two days will advance to Saturday’s final in Sydney.

On Friday, Tom Slingsby's Australia recovered from a poor start to win the third race after finishing third and seventh in the opening two.

Spain (21) leads the Sydney standings after the three races on day one, followed by Australia and the United States (both 16), Denmark 14, Japan 10, New Zealand (9), Britain (6) and New Zealand (5).

Britain’s score includes a six-point penalty for its part in causing Friday’s collision with Japan. It also had two points taken off its season score, jeopardizing its prospects of making the top three for the $1 million series final in San Francisco on March 26-27.

Going into the seventh round in Sydney, Australia (44 points) leads the season standings ahead of the U.S. and Japan (both 44), Britain (38), New Zealand (36), Spain (35), Denmark (33) and France (32).

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