British Olympic champion Goodison involved in dramatic America's Cup capsize

By James Toney

British Olympic champion Paul Goodison was involved in a dramatic capsize after American Magic's woes continued at the America's Cup.

Goodison, 44, who won Laser gold for Team GB in Beijing, is a wing trimmer on the US boat and could be heard frantically warning skipper Terry Hutchinson and helmsman Dean Barker to consider the manoeuvre that preceded their spectacular crash.

Coming into the race on the back of three straight defeats, the US boat was leading Italian rivals Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli by over 500 metres approaching the final mark of the race.

But a sudden gust as they tried a tack-gybe manoeuvre saw the foiling monohull, named Patriot, fly into the air, with some members of the 11-strong crew thrown into the water.

All were quickly safely accounted for but the fate of American Magic, with just four days before their next scheduled race, seems more uncertain.

Coastguard, race officials and support craft from rival teams rushed to the stricken boats assistance, with floatation buoys installed to stop it from sinking in choppy seas.

Barker and skipper Hutchinson remained with the boat, helping direct operations in fast fading light as team members worked out what could be salvaged as pumps fought to remove water from the hull.

American Magic, representing the New York Yacht Club, was finally stabilised after more than two hours of frantic work before being slowly towed back to shore, with reports suggesting it has sustained a hole in its high-tech hull.

"We'd like to again express our sincere thanks to our competitors, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, INEOS Team UK, and Emirates Team New Zealand, for immediately coming to our assistance," said team statement.

"We are also grateful to America's Cup Event Ltd, the race management team, Coastguard New Zealand, the Auckland Harbourmaster, local fire and police personnel and all others who have and still are helping us during this difficult moment for our team."

The 70ft foiling monohulls that are contesting sport's oldest international trophy have been prone to capsizes, with defending champions Team New Zealand tipping over on three occasions during practice.

Whether American Magic will be able to race again on Friday, where they are due to take on Ben Ainslie's unbeaten Ineos Team UK, remains to be seen.

They have their back-up boat, Defiant, in Auckland but much of that has been stripped with many parts installed on Patriot.

If they fail to race then it will be a straight shoot-out between Ainslie's Britannia and their Italian rivals for a place in the Prada Cup Challenger Final, the winner of which goes on to face New Zealand in the 36th America's Cup races.

American Magic will then have until January 29 to get their campaign up and running where they'd race the second ranked team in this initial series of round robin races in a best-of-seven repechage contest for the right to take the other Challenger Final place.