Escape from Alcatraz: France's flying starts take them down to the wire for a podium place
by SailGP 14 Jul 2024 14:55 AEST
July 13-14, 2024
Set against the backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge, France marked themselves the ones to watch on day one of SailGP's high-stakes Season 4 Grand Final - with no shortage of drama on the churning waters of the Bay.
Driving it like he stole it, France's Quentin Delapierre's flying starts in each of the day's three fleet races saw Les Bleus finish day one with a single-point hold over Spain - a lead that would push France into the Grand Final alongside New Zealand and Australia based on projections against the overall season points.
Celebrating a standout day one, Delapierre said his focus remains firmly on the job at hand tomorrow: "Focusing on ourselves was the first plan - just to try to be first, and rip in on the start. Are we ready for tomorrow? For sure; it's not finished. Spain are unbelievable athletes, and not easy to beat. So we just have to really focus and be patient with the two races tomorrow, to try to put five points between them and us."
Is the pressure of San Francisco too much for the young Spanish crew? This was the question on everyone's mind as Diego Botin's Los Gallos struggled to find their form. Battling in the pack, Spain finished 7th, 6th and 5th in the day's three fleet races.
Tactician and Grinder, Joan Cardona, said, "We did a really good job getting the boat around the course; we just obviously faulted in the starts, so we just need to find a way though that start-line tomorrow."
Three different winners in each of the day's fleet races - France's first race victory was swiftly followed by a masterclass in sailing from Australia's Tom Slingsby, making clear why the Flying Roo haven't been beaten on San Francisco waters. Taking the win in Fleet Race 2, Australia inched a step closer to tomorrow's $2 million Grand Final race.
Australian Grinder Kinley Fowler said: "When we get out in front, it's much easier; certainly on the handles for me. We want close racing - when you're going high speeds like that, and everyone's tight, there's just a lot of fun. Tomorrow, we've got work to do for sure - we're certainly not comfortable that we're in the Final. We just have to make sure that we're executing everything, the communication is going well and we're making good decisions. I think as long as we can focus on ourselves, we can hit the ground running tomorrow."
Integral decision making was something that hit Canada's Phil Robertson hard and fast - as hard and fast as his team's collision with the finish marker in their attempts to cut short Denmark in Fleet Race 2. The incident, which cost Canada a four-point penalty, echoed a similar meeting with a marker for Robertson in Abu Dhabi earlier this season.
Strategist Annie Haeger said: "It was full on, and it was pretty crowded out there. We had done a maneuver so close to the mark, but I missed the boat itself, so no damage was done. We'll have a conversation with [Umpire] Craig [Mitchell] and address it; see how that shakes out. We're not really sure that the point penalty was fair for or justified to be honest, for what happened out there."
Entering the weekend with a confirmed spot in the winner-takes-all Grand Final, New Zealand Driver, Peter Burling said, "That was an awesome first day here in San Francisco - right at the upper end of the wind limit, so really awesome racing. Eighteen meter wing, high-speed boards, and the smallest gib we've got, it's been a long time since anyone has raced a day on those configurations, so it was cool to see the fleet adapt and really good fun. All eyes on tomorrow."
More than 3000 spectators enjoyed up close viewing of the unfolding action from the purpose-built Race Stadium at Marina Green, with a 50-strong spectator fleet on water and large crowds watching along up and down the shoreline. Limited tickets for Championship Sunday remain, available at SailGP.com/SanFrancisco.
SailGP Season 4 Grand Final | San Francisco
Day Two Racing: Sunday, July 14, 2.30 p.m. - 4.00 p.m. PST
San Francisco Sail Grand Prix Day One Standings:
1 // France 26 points
2 // New Zealand 23 points
3 // ROCKWOOL Denmark 22 points
4 // Emirates GBR 21 points
5 // Australia 19 points
6 // Canada 15 points*
7 // Spain 15 points
8 // Germany 9 points
9 // Switzerland 8 points
10 // United States 4 points
*Canada docked four event points for contact with finishing mark in Fleet Race 2
SailGP Season 4 Impact League Final Standings //
1 // Emirates Great Britain // 602 points
2 // ROCKWOOL Denmark // 598 points
3 // Switzerland // 590 points
4 // France // 571 points
5 // New Zealand // 560 points
6 // Australia // 544 points
7 // Germany 513
8 // Canada 502 points
9 // Spain 486 points
10 // United States 479 points