News
Sailors Injured in New Zealand Collision with French Vessel Listed as Stable
A collision described as “catastrophic” occurred on the first day of the New Zealand Sail Grand Prix in Auckland, resulting in two sailors being hospitalized after the boats from New Zealand and France were involved in the incident.
The New Zealand team has experienced a string of accidents, with incidents occurring at the last two SailGP events, prompting concerns about their performance and safety.
A severe collision between the New Zealand and French boats took place on the first day of the New Zealand Sail Grand Prix in Auckland, resulting in two sailors being hospitalized, one from each team.
Following the accident, racing was suspended, and SailGP confirmed that the injured sailors are currently in stable condition, receiving medical attention in a local hospital.
According to SailGP, the incident occurred at the start of the third race when the New Zealand boat reportedly lost control and abruptly changed direction, cutting off the French vessel.
As a consequence of the collision, the third and fourth races were cancelled, and both the New Zealand and French teams will be unable to participate in Sunday's events due to the extensive damage sustained by their boats.
France's driver, Quentin Delapierre, described the incident, stating, "Everything unfolded rapidly, and my recollection of the events is still unclear, as I have not yet reviewed the footage or discussed it with the umpires."
Delapierre expressed his concern for both teams, saying, "I believe both teams are doing alright, and I would like to extend my support to the New Zealand team and my own teammates, as this was a challenging experience for everyone involved. I am confident that we will find ways to prevent such incidents from happening in the future."
This is not the first accident involving the New Zealand team, as they were also involved in a collision with the Swiss team during the season's opening event in Perth last month.
Despite initially taking the lead after winning the second race in Auckland, the New Zealand team, also known as the Black Foils, have dropped in the rankings due to an eight-point penalty imposed for their collision with the French team.
The defending SailGP champions, Great Britain, who secured a win in the season's opening event in January, experienced a mixed performance, finishing 11th in the first race before improving to second place in the second race.
In anticipation of adverse weather conditions later in the day, the organizers have rescheduled the start of Sunday's racing to an earlier time, aiming to complete the events before the predicted unfavorable weather sets in.
News
Brazil Claims Historic First Winter Olympics Medal with Skier’s Victory
Brazil secured its inaugural Winter Olympic medal, courtesy of Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, who took the top spot in the giant slalom event, earning the country’s first gold.
A historic milestone was achieved by Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, who secured Brazil's first-ever Winter Olympic medal, taking the top spot in the giant slalom event.
Pinheiro Braathen, the son of a Norwegian father and a Brazilian mother, was born in Oslo and initially competed for Norway, earning World Cup medals before his unexpected retirement in 2023, citing a loss of passion for the sport.
One year after his retirement, Pinheiro Braathen rediscovered his enthusiasm for skiing and made a comeback, this time representing Brazil, a decision driven by his desire to pay tribute to his maternal heritage.
On the Stelvio piste in Bormio, Pinheiro Braathen delivered an exceptional performance, outpacing Swiss skier Marco Odermatt by 0.58 seconds to claim the gold medal, while Loic Meillard, Odermatt's teammate, took the bronze.
This gold medal also marks a significant milestone as the first Winter Olympic medal won by any country from South America.
A day-by-day guide to the Winter Olympics is available for those looking to stay up-to-date with the events.
The full schedule, including the timing of medal events, can be accessed for planning purposes.
The Winter Olympics 2026 medal table provides an overview of the current standings.
News
Sweden Overcomes Crash to Claim Silver Medal
Sweden secured a remarkable silver medal in the women’s cross-country ski final, with Frida Karlsson orchestrating a stunning recovery effort after teammate Ebba Andersson suffered a crash that resulted in the loss of one of her skis.
In a stunning turn of events, Sweden secured a silver medal in the women's cross-country ski final, thanks in large part to Frida Karlsson's impressive recovery efforts after teammate Ebba Andersson suffered a crash and lost a ski.
For more Olympic coverage, view our Winter Olympics video section.
Please note that this content is only accessible to users in the United Kingdom.
News
Wasserman plans to divest talent agency amid Epstein controversy
Scrutiny has fallen on the notable agent and head of the LA Olympics due to their previous associations with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
American agent Casey Wasserman is expected to divest his talent company following the release of documents in the US that link him to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

This week, several high-profile clients, including singer Chappell Roan, parted ways with Wasserman's firm after it was revealed that he had traveled on Epstein's private plane and exchanged emails with Maxwell in 2003.
According to US media reports, Wasserman informed his employees that he had become a "distraction" and announced his intention to sell the prominent LA-based agency.
The 51-year-old agent, who has also faced calls to step down as chair of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, had previously stated that he had no "personal or business relationship" with Epstein.
In a memo published on Friday, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, Wasserman expressed regret, stating, "I'm deeply sorry that my past personal mistakes have caused you so much discomfort."
He further acknowledged that his actions had impacted his colleagues and clients, saying, "It's not fair to you, and it's not fair to the clients and partners we represent so vigorously and care so deeply about."
Wasserman has expressed deep regret over his past interactions with Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in facilitating the sexual abuse of teenage girls by Epstein.
He clarified that his email exchanges with Maxwell took place over two decades ago, prior to the discovery of her involvement in Epstein's crimes.
Although Wasserman's name appears in the documents related to Epstein, he has not been accused of any wrongdoing by Epstein's victims, and his inclusion in the files does not imply any criminal activity.
Earlier this week, the organizers of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, LA28, announced that Wasserman would retain his position as chairman after a review of his past interactions with Maxwell.
The investigation found that Wasserman's relationship with Maxwell was limited to the previously documented email exchanges, and that he had fully cooperated with the inquiry.
In a statement, the LA28 board explained that Wasserman and his then-wife had flown on Epstein's plane to Africa in 2003 as part of a humanitarian mission organized by the Clinton Foundation.
The board noted that this trip took place before Wasserman or the public were aware of Epstein and Maxwell's crimes.
According to the statement, Wasserman's only interaction with Epstein was the aforementioned flight, after which he exchanged emails with Maxwell.
In recent days, several notable figures have severed ties with Wasserman's agency.
On Tuesday, singer Chappell Roan took to Instagram to announce that she would no longer be working with Wasserman.
Roan stated, "No artist, agent, or employee should ever be expected to defend or overlook actions that conflict so deeply with our own moral values."
While Roan's statement did not explicitly mention the documents related to Epstein, it conveyed her decision to part ways with Wasserman's agency.
Former US football player Abby Wambach also announced her departure from the agency, citing her values and intuition, saying, "I know what I know, and I am following my gut and values. I will not participate in any business arrangement under his leadership."
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