Shosholoza crew member Sieraj Jacobs (25) of Grassy Park in the Cape lost the tip of his little finger on his right hand in a sailing accident on Thursday afternoon last week while practising with the team for the upcoming two America’s Cup pre-regattas which start next week off Valencia in Spain.
Sailing manager Paul Standbridge said the team were on their first sail in Valencia when Jacobs, a top SA dinghy and keel boat sailor, trapped his little finger between the jib sheet (rope) and winch.
”It happened so quickly and Sieraj understandably went into a bit of shock. We immediately transferred him from yacht Shosholoza to our chase boat and shore manager Henri Hiddes rushed him back to base where he was taken straight to hospital for treatment.
”He lost the tip of his finger from just below the nail but he is fine and back at the hotel with us.
”He is a tough guy,” said Standbridge.
Standbridge said the accident had been a reminder to the entire crew just how powerful and potentially dangerous America’s Cup class yachts can be. The loads on the jib sheet can be up to four tons. The jib is the ”smaller” sail in front of the mast.
”At the time Sieraj was standing in for upwind trimmer Alex Runciman of Zeekoevlei in the Cape who was off sick with flu, so it wasn’t his normal job on the yacht,” said Standbridge.
He said Jacob’s was still convalescing but would be sufficiently recovered to work as line handler on the chase boat in the two back to back Valencia Louis Vuitton Act’s 2 and 3 regattas which start on Tuesday next week.
”I haven’t spoken to Sieraj yet but I should imagine there are a lot of America’s Cup sailors out there with a missing fingertip,” commented Fuad Jacobs, Sieraj’s father. – Sapa