Please select your home edition
Edition
Switch One Design

SailGP: Day 1 - Dubai - Black Foils top leaderboard after a day of little foiling time

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World NZ 23 Nov 2024 02:36 PST
The SailGP fleet in action with Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team and Canada NorthStar SailGP Team in the foreground during racing on Race Day 1 of the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix - November 23, 2024 © Simon Bruty/SailGP

The America's Cup champions, fresh from defending their title, a month ago, sailed consistently and the Black Foils topped the overnight leaderboard by a three point margin without having won a race.

The start of racing was delayed waiting for the wind to settle. F50s were racing with 29metre rigs and five crew, wind shown at 9kmh it increased over the day. It was a rarity to see a team actually get foiling.

Not unexpectedly, the new teams both finished at the bottom of the leaderboard, scoring a single point each.

Only 11 teams started, with France deciding to sit out the event, pending the arrival of their new F50 for the next regatta in Auckland in mid-January.

The crew changes, of which a lot was made prior to the regatta, seemed to have little effect, with the Kiwis who'd lost one person - replaced by a member of ETNZ's development program, topped the overnight leaderboard.

The USA, who have stuck with an All-American crew, showed a strong improvement to win the first race - leading from near end to end, and finished equal second with 14pts on the leaderboard, well removed from their usual tenth spot of Season 4.

Switzerland, with two high quality imports from the Alinghi Red Bull Racing Team won Race 2, and were as inconsistent in the other two races, as the rest of the 11-boat fleet, to form part of a four way tie for second place, along with Germany, Australia and USA. The disappointing performances were largely attributable to the conditions, and the need to get crew co-ordination and communication when operating under unfriendly fire.

The star turn came from Brazilian skipper Martine Grael in the final stanzas of Race 3, when the Brazil crew saw an opportunity open rounding the last mark and with a short leg to sail to the finish. The Brazil team got the pace on, went around the outside of the front group, and seized a handful of places to finish with a very countable sixth place.

Two races and a Final are expected to be sailed tomorrow.

Race notes:

Race 1:

Mark 1: USA, GER and AUS led off the start
Mark 2: AUS
Mark 3: USA, AUS, NZL - After rounding the Mark NZL got foiling on Leg 4, but USA still led at the cross.
Mark 4: USA (16m 12sec), NZL, SUI.

The boats that finished after 4th place - Australia was 5th, did not finish within the prescribed timelimit and all went into a countback to placings at the previous mark they rounded.

Race 2:

Crew numbers reduced by one to four crew. Conditions still light. Brazil (Windward end of line) and Canada go the best starts.

Mark 1: GER, CAN, SUI, ESP
Mark 2: GER, CAN, NZL, SUI

Finish: GER, CAN, NZL, SUI

Race 3:

AUS came through into a gap at the start, after being at the back.

Finish: AUS, GBR, ESP, CAN, NZL, BRA

Related Articles

SailGP: Roger Federer inspires Swiss SailGP team.
Roger Federer joins forces with Switzerland SailGP Team to inspire success One of Switzerland's greatest sporting icons, Roger Federer, features in the newest episode of Racing on the Edge, SailGP's official behind-the-scenes docuseries, produced in partnership with Rolex. Posted on 27 Jun
Rolex SailGP Championship 2026 dates confirmed
Including a return to fan-favorite destination, Auckland SailGP has released further details of forthcoming 2026 Season, including the return of fan-favorite locations, multi-year hosting agreements secured across all regions, and an evolved regional structure to raise the stakes for athletes and fans alike. Posted on 26 Jun
SailGP opens tender process for two new teams
SailGP has confirmed 2026 expansion plans, unveiling details of a tender process to seek investment. SailGP has confirmed 2026 expansion plans, unveiling details of a tender process to seek investment for ownership of two new teams entering the global racing championship next season, alongside available stakes across existing national teams. Posted on 23 Jun
Russell Coutts explains SailGP's investor value
Russell Coutts explains the growth of SailGP and why investors are chasing a slice of the action. SailGP co-founder and CEO Russell Coutts discusses the hard to understand investment, and growth of SailGP. The growth multiples hoped for SailGP have been achieved, on paper, by the same investors in other sports. Posted on 12 Jun
Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix overall
Spain SailGP Team claims second consecutive U.S. win Diego Botin and the Spain SailGP team have punched their way to the top of the Rolex SailGP Championship, taking the win on Sunday in New York. Posted on 9 Jun
SailGP: Spain win in New York - Day 2
Diego Botin's Spanish crew scraped into the Final, and then took their second successive SailGP win. The Spanish crew led by Diego Botin staged a comeback in the last race after losing an 8pt lead to squeeze into the Final, only taking the lead halfway through the three boat Final. Full race replay here. Posted on 9 Jun
SailGP: Spain lead in New York - Day 1
Spain top the leaderboard after the first day of racing in the Mubadala New York Grand Prix Spain top the leaderboard after the first day of racing in the Mubadala New York Grand Prix, after a consistent day's sailing on the murky and rainswept Hudson River. Full replay and leaderboard in this story. Posted on 7 Jun
Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix day 1
Spain overcomes storm clouds, topping the standings Diego Botin's Spain SailGP Team leads the fleet after a stormy and tactical opening day of the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix. France, ROCKWOOL Denmark and New Zealand are all hot on his heels for all-important leaderboard points. Posted on 7 Jun
Russell Coutts reports ahead of SailGP New York
The New York Russell Report: Coutts on fleet-wide wing repairs and top picks for New York podium SailGP has returned to New York for the third time ahead of this weekend's Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix on June 7/8. Ahead of racing, SailGP CEO Russell Coutts reveals his behind-the-scenes insight of the fleet. Posted on 7 Jun
SailGP to Kick Off Summer in New York
With this Weekend's Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix An unforgettable weekend of high-speed, close-to-shore racing and world-class entertainment will take place this weekend when the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix takes place in front of the most famous skyline in the world. Posted on 5 Jun
Maritimo M50Doyle_SailWorld_728X90px_GP BOTTOMNorth Sails Loft 57 Podcast