A displeased Sir Russell Coutts has slammed authorities for preventing SailGP racing yesterday at Lyttelton.

A dolphin sighting on the course forced the cancellation of three fleet races.

Organisers are hopeful racing will commence as scheduled at 3 this afternoon.

Coutts, the SailGP CEO, believes that the 'extreme protocols' in place this weekend are unprecedented.

"Unfortunately, yesterday was another example of there being almost no balance in the decision making, another example of New Zealand being handcuffed by unprecedented layers of bureaucracy."

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