Britain crowned first

The Great Britain SailGP Team has secured first place in the first stage of SailGP Season 2.

27 April 2021

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Sir Ben Ainslie and the Great Britain SailGP Team have taken first place in SailGP Season 2 following the first two races of the competition.

Held at Bermuda’s Great Sound, the first four races of this stage saw Tom Slingsby’s Team Australia establish a dominant lead. But while Team Australia entered the final race as favourites, flying across the start line at almost 50 knots, it wasn’t enough to overtake Ainslie’s perfect performance – the UK side placing first by four seconds and with it, the top of the leaderboard.

 “It was a cracking race,” said Ainslie. “It’s what we want to do it for; go against the top sailors in the world in conditions like this – it was perfect.”

“It was a huge credit to the team, we really struggled yesterday, but we analysed what went wrong and today was a much better day and I am delighted with the result, it’s a great way to start the season.”

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“I had so much fun racing this weekend, but I can’t help but be a little frustrated and disappointed by the result,” added Slingsby.

“I’m proud of the way our team performed. I think we sailed amazingly and it just didn’t go our way this time. That’s the way it is with this format of racing, you need to win that final race.

“Hat’s off to the Brits, they sailed amazingly when it counted, but I feel like our team sailed amazingly and consistently the whole way through.”

Great Britain and Australia were joined by Billy Besson and the French SailGP team in the final race who secured its first-ever SailGP podium finish. 

But this stage was more than a tight finish with the action seeing collision and capsizing – Jimmy Spithill and Team USA hitting Team Japan on the first race of Day Two – the former eventually being turned onto its size before both boats were ruled out for the remainder of the race.

A risky manoeuvre backfired for Phil Robertson and Team Spain, costing them a triple penalty and potentially a final podium place – the side missing out on third by one point.

America’s Cup winners and Olympic champions Peter Burling and Blair Tuke fared better on their SailGP debut, moving Team New Zealand up from the bottom of the ladder to fifth place by the end of Day 2.

Finishing in sixth place was Nicolai Sehested and Team Denmark while Japan and Team USA closed the stage in seventh and eighth place respectively.

“Quite simply that was the best racing I think I have ever seen on television for a sailing event. What a day, there was drama, fantastic quality of racing, lots of lead changes – it just had everything,” said SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts.

“Unfortunately it had a crash but you are going to get that in high level racing every now and then but it was really exciting stuff.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled with Bermuda and we certainly want to come back for many years to come.”

The next SailGP stage will be 5–6 June in Taranto, Italy.

 

sailgp.com

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