Less than two weeks out from their inaugural home leg, the New Zealand SailGP team has received a massive boost.
Their F50 Amokura was damaged by a lightning strike at the Singapore Grand Prix, however it's since been all hands on deck to now be given the green light to be on the startline in Lyttelton.
A rejuvenated boat after a restoration mission. Hardly the way the New Zealand SailGP team would've wanted to commemorate their maiden home event.
"It was a little bit unknown if we'd be on Amokura," Blair Tuke told Newshub. "Our whole journey in SailGP's been on that boat."
A boat wich is now on its way to Lyttleton, ahead of this month's debut.
After being struck by lightning in Singapore in January, the F50 has since undergone rigorous and thorough testing in Warkworth.
"We've brought in some industry experts on aviation on composite engineering," said operations manager Brad Marsh.
"We've been through some structural testing. Been through some ultrasound and some electronic tap testing to try and verify that the structure is still good."
And while there was damage to hydraulics and electronics, structurally it wasn't as bad as first feared.
The boat itself was still bonded to its carbon skins.
"Amokura's been given a thumbs up by everyone involved doing the testing," added Marsh.
Though there are still some creases to iron out ahead of racing.
"It's going to be a huge amount of work," added Tuke. "But [it's] going to be awesome to be black on the black boat."
A black boat looking to make history on home waters.
