Photographer narrowly escapes injury after Team New Zealand lose control

If it looks a little blurred it is because photographer Gilles Martin-Raget was ducking as he took the flying image of Team New Zealand's 45-foot catamaran just before it collided with the boat on which he was standing (GILLES MARTIN-RAGET )

French photographer Gilles Martin-Raget narrowly escaped serious injury or worse when a barely in control Team New Zealand hit a mark boat on which he was working for the America’s Cup World Series in Narragansett Bay ahead of the final regatta of the series, which starts Thursday.

Neither boat suffered serious damage, said TNZ skipper Dean Barker. The finale of the 2011-12 set of regattas has America’s Cup defender Oracle, skippered by Australian Jimmy Spithill holding the overall lead after events in Cascais, Plymouth, San Diego, Naples, and Venice.

TNZ will launch the first of two new 72-foot wing-powered catamarans in Auckland on 21 July as it adds pace and emphasis to its challenge for the America’s Cup in San Francisco next year. Oracle will launch a little later but also expects to be sailing in August.

Volvo round the world race boss Knut Frostad announces in Lorient Thursday the new, Farr-designed boat for the 2014-15 race. The route may not be fully revealed until December.

The six boats in the current race take part in an inshore race on Saturday ahead of starting the final leg to Galway on Sunday.