Emirates GBR in 2nd after 'real ding-dong' with Aussies on KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix Day 1
by Emirates GBR SailGP Team 8 Feb 04:48 PST
8-9 February 2025
France SailGP Team helmed by Quentin Delapierre ahead of Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team and Australia SailGP Team sailing past the Sydney Opera House during racing on Race Day 1 of the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix © Jason Ludlow for SailGP
Emirates GBR delivered a solid performance on the opening day of the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix, securing second place overall after four wild races on Sydney Harbour. The Brits applied pressure on the home team and managed to steal a win from Australia in the second race of the day, which Emirates GBR Driver Dylan Fletcher described as "a real ding-dong with the Aussies".
Led by Olympic gold medallist Dylan Fletcher, the British crew faced a difficult start in race one where they were forced to take evasive action to avoid a collision with Italy, dropping them to the back of the fleet. They managed to fight their way back through the pack to claim a fifth-place finish, narrowly missing out on fourth to the returning Team France, who made their 2025 Season debut in Sydney with their brand new F50. The opening race was won by Team Switzerland, followed by Spain and home favourites, Australia.
The second race proved to be a highlight for Emirates GBR, as they made a great start and followed closely behind the Australia SailGP Team at the first mark. The race was a drama-filled duel, with both teams exchanging the lead multiple times. The Brits ultimately edged ahead to take the win. Reflecting on the race, Fletcher described it on the water as "a real ding-dong with the Aussies."
In the penultimate race of the day, a late start saw Emirates GBR enter the course last. However, the Brits dug deep to fightback to fifth by leg three. The final leg was described as "chaos" by commentator Stevie Morrison, with multiple teams dropping off their foils. The British team capitalized on the situation to secure a hard-fought third-place finish.
The final race saw Emirates GBR struggle off the line, rounding the bottom mark in fourth place behind Canada's North Star Team, led by the British team's former Driver Giles Scott. A battle for third ensued, with Fletcher successfully forcing a boundary penalty on the Canadian team before splitting the course at the bottom mark. The move paid off, and Emirates GBR secured another third-place finish.
Fletcher said: "It was a wild day out there! We felt strong around the course all day, but our starts held us back. In the first race, we were lucky to avoid a collision with Italy, thanks to Parko's (Luke Parkinson's) quick reactions. The second race was our only good start, leading to a tight battle with the Aussies—we stayed on their heels, found an opportunity, and got around them. They (Australia) were dominant all day, but it's great to know that when it was close, we proved we could compete. The course here in Sydney is fantastic, and overall, we're on the right track."
As the fleet heads into the final day of the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix, Emirates GBR sits in second place overall. UK viewers can catch all the action live on TNT Sports from 04:00 GMT.