25 Mar 2024

'Second worst place to hold it' - marine scientist on SailGP

From The Panel, 6:40 pm on 25 March 2024

Do Dolphins and sports mix? Saturday's leg of the SailGP yacht race was cancelled when a dolphin was sighted on the course.

SailGP chief executive Sir Russell Coutts slammed that decision, calling the dolphin policy "extreme", and an example of unprecedented layers of bureaucracy.

Marine scientist Professor Steve Dawson gave expert advice for SailGP's original Marine Mammal Management Plan. He joins the Panel, saying Lyttleton Harbour is the second worst place to hold the event, after the Akaroa Harbour.