Matt Gotrel on his heartbreaking SailGP crash: 'It could have been messy'

Matt Gotrel said after the accident that his tether could have saved his life. Photo: Louis Goldman

It was only 30 seconds or so, but for Matt Gotrel «thrown like a rag doll at about 50 km/h under a 2.5-ton boat», it seemed like a lifetime. “I just remember trying to get my arms and legs as close to my body as possible,” Gotrel recalls of his overboard drama at SailGP in Sydney in February, when he slipped through the fairing of a British F50 and into the water.

Two months later, Gotrel can look back on what was a very scary incident with something approaching gallows humor. The 34-year-old rower, who won an Olympic gold medal in Rio 2016 before switching to another sport, «only» broke his sacrum and tore his buttock while bouncing under a boat he was tied to. He also injured his shoulder, which will see him miss out on the epic finale of the third season of SailGP in San Francisco this weekend, where Sir Ben Ainsley's team will attempt to qualify for Sunday's $1 million (£794,000) tournament.

Autoplay on Sail GP boat

But he knows how much more serious it could be. “These boats can fight back pretty quickly when things go wrong,” he says. «I think someone my size gets tossed around like a rag doll, and that shows the forces involved.»

At the end of the day, he was grateful for being tied to the boat, even if it guaranteed he'd be dragged away under the catamaran

“Our harnesses are actually designed to keep us from falling off the side of the boat from the cockpit. Or from the front of the boat. But apparently because I fell into something I shouldn't have, the tether was long enough to hit the water and be pulled along.

“But it's much better than being left to the mercy of fate. If I had not been tied up, I could have hit our steering wheel, which would have been very bad. Or boats behind. Any of them could be dirty. These boats have sharp wings that cut through the water. I wouldn't rate my odds one on one against the F50. I think it's definitely better to stay with the boat in a situation like this. Just having a body floating in water whistling F50 is not ideal.

Gautrel's experience also benefited the fleet as a whole. Before Sydney, no one had ever fallen through a fairing, actually a piece of plastic shrink wrap between the carbon ribs at the front of the boat. “I’ve stepped on it before, slipped and didn’t fall through,” he says. But Gotrel's misadventure, caused by Ainsley being forced to duck to avoid Canada during the taunt, catching Gotrel by surprise as he crossed the boat, was actually one of two that week after a sailor on the Canadian ship made the same in practice. . “Obviously it was an inherent design error,” says Gotrel. “So it’s mesh [rather than plastic] there now. This event has made SailGP much better in terms of security.»

SailGP Sunday Prize Big Credit: SailGP/Simon Bruty < p>Gotrel admits he's «gutted» for missing this weekend's finale. The weekend in San Francisco promises to be dramatic and the British team knows exactly what they need to do to claim the $1 million prize. They must first beat the French in five fleet races on the exciting circuit between Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge, then they must win Sunday's three-boat 'grand final', most likely against Australia and New Zealand, who are currently in first place. two places. places in the standings.

How Team Ainsley can win the first $1 million SailGP prize

Asked about the team's tactics, Ainslie admitted there could be «a match racing element» in the proceedings as the Brits, who have never won a SailGP, simply want to keep the French behind them. However, the four-time Olympic champion added that he would respond to the situation on the water. «In any case, it will be complete,» he told Telegraph Sport. “The French and we ourselves will meet in battle — what can be the opposite of cordial agreement? And kiwi is not so far ahead. They need to be a little careful. They cannot afford to stumble or take damage. Sparks will definitely fly.”

Gottrel, who is also part of Ainslie's America's Cup team, will be watching from his home couch. He was almost deemed healthy enough to return as he avoided shoulder surgery. But, in the end, the decision was made to rest and fully recover for the start of Season 4 in Chicago next month.

weekly workout at home, no two days on the road, no time difference…” he nods. “But it's obviously hard. Miss this special event. We've never won a SailGP before, so it's long overdue. Of course, I'll be glad if the guys can do it, but I wish I was there and trying to help.”

But most of all, Gotrel is grateful that he managed to escape. relatively unharmed. “At the time, I was mostly angry at myself for costing the team points,” he says. “I mean, we actually won this race until we had to slow down to save me. But in retrospect, it could have been much worse. I look forward to getting back on horseback in Chicago. And I'll be rooting for the guys from home this weekend.»