Team Canada's catamaran sail badly damaged as winds cause havoc at Australia Sail Grand Prix

Team Canada's catamaran wing sail was badly damaged on Saturday when it was hit by a gust of wind and blown into a canvas shelter while being lifted by a crane at the Australia Sail Grand Prix in Sydney.

Vision of the scene shows workers and spectators running for safety as the equipment is flung around in the wind.

Organizers issued a statement saying a "weather event" at the conclusion of racing caused significant damage to wing sails and at least one boat and forced the cancellation of the two fleet races scheduled for Sunday.

"After racing today, a major weather event occurred that has resulted in significant damage," organizers said. "As far as we know, no one was seriously injured during the incident. As a result of the damage, SailGP has had to cancel racing for the second day of the Sydney event.

"A full assessment of the damage is underway but it is likely some of the future SailGP events may also need to be delayed."

Quentin Delapierre steered the French team to three straight wins in gusty, shifting winds to take a six-point lead over Jimmy Spithill's U.S. team before the weather conditions deteriorated on Sydney Harbour.

Delapierre won the opening race after the New Zealand team was penalized at the start for going a fraction too early, the Australian team was penalized at the last gate and the British team lost a sailor overboard.

Spithill's U.S. team placed second in the first two races and fifth in the third to hold second spot with 24 points, and the two-time defending series champion Australians were third after a difficult day with 20 points, one ahead of Emirates GBR. Denmark was in fifth place on 18 points, New Zealand was in sixth place on 17 and Canada had 14.

"We tried to push harder in these