Australian SailGP team star Iain Jensen is racing against the clock at the season opener in Perth after suffering a left knee injury.
Olympic gold medalist Jensen underwent scans at a Perth hospital after training on Thursday, but is still a chance to feature in Saturday’s regatta opener.
Iain Jensen has moved from Great Britain to the Australian team in this year’s SailGP series.Credit: SailGP
Jensen has joined Tom Slingsby’s Australian team as a wing-trimmer for the new season, having helped Great Britain win last season’s grand final race in Abu Dhabi in November.
The Perth SailGP was set to be his first Australian representation since his Olympic career which brought a gold medal in the 49er class at the 2012 Games.
Jensen, Slingsby’s son’s godfather, is tasked with helping Australia bounce back from a second straight loss in the SailGP champions’ season finale.
His injury comes as the 13-boat fleet prepares for tough conditions during the high-speed sailing league’s first visit to the WA capital.
Swedish crew member Chris Draper, who sailed with Australia in 2025, needed stitches after landing face-first on his boat’s diving board in training earlier this week.
Plans to take media and guests on chase boats were also abandoned this week due to concerns that conditions would be too rough.
Tickets for the inaugural Perth SailGP are sold out and around 15,000 spectators are expected to watch from the stands in Fremantle.
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