Hans Henken’s sailing career is back in full swing less than 14 months after he was injured when his catamaran nosedived while he was piloting it in a SailGP race in the Mediterranean.
SAN DIEGO — Hans Henken’s sailing career is fully revitalized nearly 14 months after he was rendered unconscious and badly hurt when the high-speed catamaran he helmed in a SailGP event capsized and nosedived into the Mediterranean Sea.
The Olympic medalist has returned as the flight controller for the United States SailGP Team, which revealed its roster on Monday for Season 5 of the international league. The season’s opening regatta is set for this weekend in Dubai.
Henken’s journey has come full circle. On September 23, 2023, he sustained two broken ribs, a fractured sternum, a torn rotator cuff, and a concussion after miscalculating the ride height control of Team USA’s 50-foot catamaran during a maneuver around a mark in a regatta in Taranto, Italy.
Remarkably, the injuries did not keep him away from sailing for long. Roughly three and a half weeks later, Henken—a Stanford-educated aerospace engineer—alongside skipper Ian Barrows, secured the gold medal in the 49er class at the Pan Am Games.
Following this victory, the pair went on to win the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, marking a significant comeback for a once-prominent sailing team that had only secured one medal in the previous three Summer Games.
Henken now returns to SailGP, which he describes as having “some of the best sailors in the world, the most exciting boats, the fastest boats.” These F50s are known for reaching speeds akin to those on highways.
“It’s no surprise that I want to be around these boats,” Henken, 32, stated in a recent phone interview. “They’re also an engineering marvel. Given my background studying aerospace engineering at Stanford, every part of the boat excites me—from sailing it to the engineering principles behind it, to the surrounding culture. This league is just fantastic.”
Two months after Henken’s injury, Team USA was sold to a new ownership group. The Americans aim to improve on their eighth-place result in the 10-boat fleet, which is expanding to 11 for the upcoming opener and will reach 12 by the second regatta.
Henken was injured when the American F50 nosedived, plunging its leeward hull into the Mediterranean waves at approximately 40 mph before it soared into the air and came to a halt. He, the flight controller, admitted he miscalculated the boat’s ride height control during a maneuver after rounding a mark.
Former skipper Jimmy Spithill could not see Henken right away and issued a man overboard call. Moments later, the crew found Henken unconscious and significantly injured from the impact of the water that slammed him against the back of his cockpit. Spithill requested a medic boat to ensure Henken was taken to shore and to a hospital.
“These boats require precise movements across all domains,” Henken remarked. “If something is slightly off, things can go awry very quickly. This is part of the sport. It’s extreme, and it shows everyone is pushing themselves to the limit—that’s just racing.”
Undeterred, he was committed to continuing his Olympic journey and persevered through his physical therapy despite the pain.
He admitted that he wasn’t physically prepared for the Pan Am Games, “but mentally I was eager to be there; I wanted to compete. Though it wasn’t part of our trials system, this kind of racing was crucial in preparing for our U.S. Olympic Trials in Miami in January.”
Henken holds both bachelor’s and master’s degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering.
“Since I was 5, my greatest aspiration was to become an astronaut. My next major dream was to compete in the Olympics and win a medal. Now, I’ve achieved one of those,” he reflected.
After interviewing with SpaceX, he received a call from Barrows to begin Olympic campaigning, leading him to withdraw his application.
Working as an aerospace engineer remains a goal for him, “but while I’m young and have this skill set to sail these incredible flying boats, I’m seizing every opportunity to do so,” he stated.
Henken described getting back on an F50 during a training camp in Bermuda as “like reuniting with an old friend.”
Team USA CEO and co-owner Mike Buckley was present on the boat that day, offering a fist bump and saying, “Have a good day,” which marked the moment. “I think all athletes are programmed to rise from setbacks and try again.”
The American catamaran now displays the Liberty Marine livery to pay tribute to the Statue of Liberty, featuring an image of the statue’s head on the wingsail.