Action packed weekend at France Sail Grand Prix
by Switzerland SailGP Team 11 Sep 2023 02:35 AEST
9-10 September 2023
France Sail Grand Prix © Ricardo Pinto for SailGP
Switzerland SailGP Team returned to Saint-Tropez this weekend for the France Sail Grand Prix, the first of three European venues in Season 4.
It was a testing weekend on the racecourse for most teams, tricky gusty conditions meant there were big gains and big losses. The conditions were light, but the weekend was action packed, with plenty of lead changes, penalties and a dramatic end to race day one with the collapse of New Zealand's wing straight after racing.
Driver Sébastien Schneiter on the team's performance: "We've just finished racing here in Saint-Tropez. We had five races over the two days, there's been some great racing but the conditions have been pretty tricky.
"We had a better day result wise today [than yesterday] but our starts were still not great. So, we know what we need to work on as the rest is going well.
François [Morvan] did an amazing job to get settled in with the team quickly and we were doing some great manoeuvres, he was helping us to come back in most of the races, so that was really positive. We just need to start out in front and I'm pretty sure we can keep the other boats behind us."
The team raced in Saint-Tropez with a new crew line up. Nathan Outteridge who has been supporting remotely as sailing advisor also returned to support the coaching onshore and race back onboard F50 Eiger as Strategist.
Outteridge said: "It was a very tricky event here in Saint-Tropez with the weather and conditions. Very different to the event we had last year!
"It's been good to be back sailing with the team this weekend and we've been trying to weave our way through the course. It was another tough event in terms of results for the Swiss team but lots of learnings happening within the team and you can see things always improving which is good."
It's onwards and upwards for the team. Racing resumes in less than two weeks with the ROCKWOOL Italy Sail Grand Prix in Taranto 23-24 September.
France Sail Grand Prix Saint-Tropez final standings:
1. Emirates GBR - 10 points
2. Australia - 9 points
3. Spain - 8 points
4. ROCKWOOL Denmark - 7 points
5. United States - 6 points
6. France - 5 points
7. Germany - 4 points
8. New Zealand - 3 points*
9. Switzerland - 2 points
10. Canada -3 points*
*Canada penalized eight points for contact with Spain on day one
*New Zealand did not race on day two after sustaining damage to its wing after day one
SailGP Season 4 Championship standings: (after three events)
1. Australia - 26 points
2. Spain - 24 points
3. ROCKWOOL Denmark - 23 points
4. Emirates GBR - 19 points
5. New Zealand - 17 points
6. United States - 14 points
7. France - 13 points
8. Canada - 12 points*
9. Switzerland - 7 points