SYDNEY — The inaugural day of Australia’s SailGP event took place on the stunning backdrop of Sydney Harbour on Saturday, showcasing intense competition as the Australian team clinched victories in two out of the four races. As a result, they secured the top position on the points leaderboard, outshining both the British team and a resurgent French squad that made a remarkable comeback after missing the initial two competitions of the season.
Australia concluded the day with an impressive tally of 37 points, benefiting from a solid performance that included a second and a third-place finish. The British team followed closely with 32 points, while France, with 27 points, demonstrated a strong return to form. Switzerland, which claimed victory in the opening race, rounded out the standings in fourth place overall.
A major contributing factor to Australia’s success was their ability to dominate the start box, securing leads at the beginning of races two, three, and four. “I’m not sure what’s going on with our starts, but everything seems to be coming together,” commented Australian skipper Tom Slingsby. “A bit of luck has gone our way, allowing us to navigate the right openings as they appeared.” He further noted, “Sometimes everything just clicks. We’re riding a good wave at the moment and hope to keep this momentum going.”
Despite relatively calm sea conditions, competitors faced challenging circumstances due to a storm cell hovering over the Sydney area, resulting in significant wind shifts that created unpredictable racing dynamics. “Once we got some clearer air, it was much better,” said Australian strategist Natasha Bryant. “The course was incredibly tight, and the varying angles due to shifting winds led to some exhilarating moments throughout the day.”
The French team marked an impressive comeback to the racing scene after missing out on events in Dubai and Auckland due to issues with their wing sail. They took early initiative, winning the start of the first race and finishing the day with placements of second, third, fourth, and eighth, placing them firmly in third overall. “It was fantastic to be back in Sydney under favorable conditions,” stated driver Quentin Delapierre.
One of the surprises of the day was the New Zealand team, which had been anticipated to be a strong contender against Australia. However, technical challenges hampered their performance, resulting in a disappointing ninth-place finish, with their race results comprising seventh, eighth, and two last-place finishes.
Participants can look forward to three more fleet races scheduled for Sunday, culminating in a showdown amongst the top three teams in the event final.
Originally, the Sydney event was expected to showcase a full fleet of 12 boats, marking a historic moment for SailGP with France’s return. Unfortunately, the United States was unable to compete on the first day due to damages sustained during a practice capsize, leaving a fleet of 11 boats.
Switzerland leveraged a pivotal wind shift to secure victory in the first race, finishing ahead of Spain and Australia. “The racing has been outstanding,” remarked Swiss driver Sébastien Schneiter. “We are focusing on keeping our approach straightforward and clean while aiming for solid starts.”
In the second race, Britain emerged victorious after what driver Dylan Fletcher described as a fierce ‘ding-dong battle’ with Australia. The Australian team later established dominance in the third and fourth races, leading from start to finish.
