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The Epidemiology of Injuries and Illnesses During SailGP Season 4: A Prospective Cohort Study
Thomas Fallon1,2, Hélène Rousselon3, Neil Heron1,3
1Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK.
Introduction:
Sailing is a high-intensity sport that demands a combination of physical strength, endurance, and technical skill. Sail Grand Prix (SailGP), inaugurated in 2019, epitomises a transformative approach to professional sailing. This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of injury and illness epidemiology among SailGP elite sailors, comparing injury and illness types and locations across different sailing activities.
Methods:
This prospective cohort study analysed injury and illness data from professional sailors throughout season 4 (2023/2024) of the professional sailing league. Data were collected on the number of hours spent in training, racing, and foiling, alongside injury reports, categorising injury types and locations. Incidence rates were calculated per 1000 h of sailing and 365 athlete days. Injuries were stratified by sex, position on the boat, and specific sailing activities to provide a detailed comparison.
Results:
A total of 100 sailors participated in the Sail GP 2024 season, accumulating 4919.84 h of recorded sailing activity: 2186.03 h in racing and 2733.80 h in training. The overall injury incidence rate was 9.96 per 1000 h of activity (95% CI: 7.17-12.75) and 7.43 per 365 athlete days (95% CI: 4.99-9.86). The injury rate was notably higher for foiling at 26.52 per 1000 h (95% CI: 19.09-33.94) compared to general sailing at 14.51 per 1000 h (95% CI: 10.44-18.57). Racing posed a greater injury risk than training, with an injury rate of 11.89 per 1000 h (95% CI: 7.77-16.46) compared to 8.41 per 1000 h for training (95% CI: 5.12-12.07). Grinders had the greatest rate of injuries at 3.86 (2.24, 5.69) injuries per 1000 h of sailing. The illness incidence rate was 5.14 per 1000 h (95% CI: 3.21-7.28), with respiratory illnesses being the most frequently reported.
Conclusion:
This study highlights the injury and illness risks amongst elite sailors in Sail GP. Males were at higher risk of injury, with the position of grinders being the most commonly injured. Ankle and knee injuries were the most prevalent. Future research should focus on developing sport-specific injury prevention programmes and examining long-term outcomes in sailors.
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