Tom Slingsby from Australia showcased his talent in light winds to excel in the third fleet race, taking a narrow lead over his New Zealand competitor, Peter Burling, during the first regatta of SailGP’s fifth season held in Dubai on Saturday.
The Australian team accumulated placements of 3rd, 5th, and 1st while sailing their Flying Roo 50-foot foiling catamaran, giving them a total of 24 points compared to Burling’s 23. Burling recently celebrated his third consecutive America’s Cup win. Meanwhile, Diego Botin of Spain, who had previously surprised both Slingsby and Burling by clinching the $2 million Grand Final of Season 4 last July, currently sits seventh among the 11-boat fleet—the largest ever in SailGP history.
Both the Australian and New Zealand crews pushed through the loss of key team members who moved to different teams. Upon bringing in new wing trimmer Chris Draper, who stepped in after Kyle Langford transferred to Jimmy Spithill’s new Red Bull Italy team, Slingsby praised his significant impact on managing the light winds, an area that has often challenged their performance.
“Chris is well-known for his strengths in light air, and he has injected a wealth of experience into our setup,” Slingsby expressed his gratitude. “It’s fantastic to have him as part of our team, and today demonstrated how seamlessly he integrates with us.”
Slingsby executed a flawless start in the third race, quickly establishing a lead that allowed him to win by over two minutes against Emirates GBR, helmed by the newcomer Dylan Fletcher. Notably, two-time Olympic gold medalist Martine Grael, the first female skipper in SailGP, made an exhilarating late surge to gain five positions, finishing in sixth place.
“We couldn’t be more satisfied,” Slingsby remarked, reflecting on a successful day and a strong start to the season. “Our focus now shifts to maintaining this momentum tomorrow to secure a place in the final.”
The top three teams after the two fleet races on Sunday will advance to the podium race. Emirates GBR, Canada, and the United States all sit tied for third with 18 points each, with Switzerland following closely behind at 17, Spain with 16, and Germany at 15. Italy, led by the experienced Ruggero Tita, is currently at the bottom with finishes of 10th, 11th, and 9th.
On the Kiwi side, there was a recent alteration in the crew as flight controller Andy Maloney transferred to the Brazilian team. Burling commented on the successful integration of new flight controller Leo Takahashi, who worked well with wing trimmer Blair Tuke, contributing to their race results of 2nd, 3rd, and 5th.
“It’s felt like ages since our last race, and the conditions today were quite challenging and variable,” Burling noted. “I’m pleased with how well we adapted to the crew changes and could achieve strong speeds so quickly. Blair and Leo have been doing an excellent job getting the boat moving efficiently in those conditions.”
The opening race was claimed by Taylor Canfield and Team USA, while Erik Heil from Germany triumphed in the second race.