Sailing Injury Report: Key Athletes Navigate Recoveries Across SailGP, IMOCA, and Olympic Classes

The 2026 professional sailing season has been defined as much by the resilience of its athletes off the water as by their speed on it. Across the SailGP circuit, the IMOCA Globe Series, and the Olympic classes, top competitors are working through grueling rehabilitation programs following severe injuries and health battles.[1][3][4]

The physical demands of modern sailing—particularly in the high-speed foiling classes—have pushed the human body to its absolute limits. A recent prospective injury surveillance study of SailGP athletes revealed an overall injury rate of 9.96 per 1,000 hours of sailing. That figure spikes dramatically to 26.52 per 1,000 hours during foiling activities, with grinders and wing trimmers taking the brunt of the physical toll.[5]

Among those currently sidelined is Leigh McMillan, the wing trimmer for the DS Automobiles France SailGP Team. McMillan suffered a traumatic tear to the suppinatus and scapularis tendons in his shoulder during a chaotic, high-speed collision with the New Zealand team in Auckland earlier this year.[1]

The impact completely detached the tendons from the bone, requiring immediate and extensive surgery. McMillan recently confirmed that the procedure with an orthopedic specialist was successful, though he remains immobilized in an arm brace and will miss upcoming SailGP events while he heals.[1]

Despite the severe setback, McMillan remains heavily involved in the French team's strategy during his rehabilitation. "My heart's already with the team," he noted, expressing his determination to help the crew navigate their transitional period and crew reshuffles while he focuses on a full return to the F50 catamaran.[1]

The SailGP circuit also saw Artemis wing trimmer Chris Draper suffer facial injuries ahead of the Perth Sail Grand Prix. Draper was thrown face-first into the trampoline when his F50 bounced off a wave in wild conditions, requiring stitches to his face and mouth before he was cleared by medical staff to return to the water.[2]

In the offshore world, reigning Vendée Globe champion Charlie Dalin is prioritizing his health after a monumental physical battle. Dalin recently revealed that he won the grueling 2024/2025 solo round-the-world race while secretly undergoing treatment for gastrointestinal cancer, having been diagnosed with a 15-centimeter intestinal tumor.[3]

Following the race's conclusion, Dalin underwent surgery in February 2026 to remove the tumor. He has officially stepped back from solo racing for the remainder of the 2026 season to focus entirely on his recovery, acknowledging that the physical toll of solo offshore sailing is currently too high.[3]

However, Dalin remains an integral part of the Macif racing team, shifting into a vital advisory role. He is currently mentoring skipper Sam Goodchild and assisting with the design of the team's future IMOCA yacht, proving that his tactical brilliance remains sharp even while he heals on land.[3]

In the Olympic classes, British kiteboarder Lily Young has authored one of the year's most remarkable comeback stories. Young, who is campaigning for the Los Angeles 2028 Games, lost part of her left index finger in a horrific training accident in France when a kite line tangled around her helmet and hand.[4]

The severe cut severed an artery and required emergency surgery followed by extensive skin grafts. Yet, less than four months after the amputation, Young returned to elite competition at the Trofeo Princesa Sofia in Mallorca, finishing tenth overall as the top British entrant.[4]

"I feel like I've come back doing things better, with better habits and routines," Young said of her return, highlighting the profound mental reset that often accompanies major physical trauma in high-stakes athletics.[4]

The injury bug has also reshaped the standings in the wingfoil and kiteboarding world tours. Aleksander Acherer is out for much of the GWA Wingfoil World Tour season as he recovers from injury, opening the door for his twin brother Tomas to claim victories, while former Lords of Tram winner Pippa van Iersel has been forced to sit out the start of the GKA Big Air season.

As these athletes navigate their respective recoveries, their journeys underscore a universal truth in professional sailing: the ability to rebuild and adapt is just as critical as raw boat speed. With medical teams and safety designers working to mitigate the risks of foiling, the fleet eagerly awaits the return of its sidelined stars.[1][4][5]