SailGP: Bonds Flying Roos achieve a three-peat despite broken rudder - Day 2
by SailGP Media 1 Jun 11:47 AEST
Bonds Flying Roos SailGP Team celebrate victory on Race Day 2 - Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix - May .31, 2026 © Ricardo Pinto/SailGP
The Bonds Flying Roos have claimed a third consecutive event victory, defeating Emirates GBR and the Northstar SailGP Team in a final that went down to the wire.
The dramatic, come-from-behind win capped a remarkable day for the Australians who swapped a broken rudder before the start of Race 1.
Leading the final early before being overtaken by Emirates GBR in a pivotal mid-race exchange, the Bonds Flying Roos traded blows with the Brits before a decisive late wind shift swung momentum back to Tom Slingsby's crew - handing them the lead heading into the final leg. From there, the Bonds Flying Roos held their nerve under pressure from Dylan Fletcher's British team to seal a hard-fought win with a near photo finish.
Slingsby said: "It was a tough day out on the water, very patchy and tricky conditions. You had to trust what you could see rather than rely too heavily on the software, because it could only tell you so much. Ultimately, at that last bottom mark, I was able to watch exactly where GBR's bow was, which allowed us to clear the overlap and make it through the finish line."
The Australians have extended their lead on the overall Rolex SailGP Championship standings, now 11 points ahead of Emirates GBR in second.
Reflecting on his hat trick victory - after wins in Bermuda and Rio de Janeiro - Slingsby said, "Three wins in a row? Pretty wild, to be honest. It hasn't really sunk in yet. But the team is in an absolutely awesome place, we all love what we do and love sailing together. We have the best group of people, and I can't wait to see what happens next."
A crash at the start of the third and final fleet race of the weekend spelled disaster for Red Bull Italy, Mubadala Brazil and the U.S. SailGP Team - dashing the Americans' hope of a podium finish after an otherwise-strong day on the Hudson.
Driver Taylor Canfield called the incident "disappointing." Continuing, "It's something we need to look at as a group, internally as a team and as a league. No one likes to be involved in a big collision, and whenever boats can avoid them, we need to make sure that's happening."
Canfield continued, "Things unfolded quickly and there wasn't much awareness that a big crash was coming, so there wasn't much time to react. When we noticed it, we did everything we could."
The U.S. SailGP Team were handed down a seven-point penalty for breaching Rule 14 - avoiding contact - while the Red Bull Italy SailGP Team was penalized four event points. No penalty was issued to Mubadala Brazil.
Despite their misfortunes at the end, the U.S. SailGP Team moved up a position on the Rolex SailGP Championship standings, now third overall.
U.S. SailGP Team's Anna Weis found the silver lining: "In the last 40 minutes you can tell everybody's disappointed, because we want to win and we want to race hard. But at the end of the day it's sailboat racing and stuff like this happens. You win as a team, you lose as a team, you crash as a team."
Weis continued, "I think what matters most is how you bounce back, and I believe our team will do a good job of that."
Northstar made their first event final of the 2026 Season, ending a string of poor results for the Canadian crew. It's momentum the Canadians will look to bring with them into next month's Halifax event.
All teams entered Championship Sunday with zero points after a decision not to score races on the opening day, in which just four teams were able to participate. With the slate wiped clean - and the playing field leveled - the stage was set for a high-stakes race to the winner-takes-all final.
Conditions marked a significant turnaround from day one - with lighter breeze (15-30km/h) making for ideal foiling conditions with the 27.5-meter wingsail. Thousands of fans came along to experience the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix - watching from the purpose-built Race Stadium at Governors Island and official spectator boats.
SailGP Managing Director Andrew Thompson said, "Racing in New York is always a standout moment on the calendar - a truly global city that matches the scale and ambition of SailGP."
"The energy from the fans this weekend has been exceptional," continued Thompson. "And we're grateful to our partners, particularly Mubadala, for helping bring this event to life. Combined with the level of competition we've seen on the water, a spectacular final, and thousands of fans enjoying the action - the weekend has been incredibly special."
The Rolex SailGP Championship returns in less than one month - with the Canada Sail Grand Prix | Halifax, June 20-21. Limited tickets remain, visit SailGP.com/Canada to find out more.