Aussies checkmate in tense opener in Geneva to secure top position
by BONDS Flying Roos 21 Sep 07:21 AEST
20-21 September 2025
BONDS Flying Roos SailGP Team - Race Day 1 of the Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix © Jason Ludlow for SailGP
Tom Slingsby and the BONDS Flying Roos sit in pole position after the opening day in Geneva, following a day of racing that was described as a "chess-like battle" on the water.
Commentators described the light-air racing as a battle of inches, where the "devil was in the detail", with small mistakes in boat handling and split second tactical calls proving costly for most teams, but not for the "comeback kings", the BONDS Flying Roos.
The Aussies delivered two remarkable comebacks in Races 1 and 3, clawing their way from 11th and 12th off the line to secure an impressive 4th and 3rd place finish. Race 2 was a masterclass from Slingsby's crew, who drew on their experience and tactical nous to find the pressure and fly clear of the fleet, crossing the line in first place. The result was all the sweeter for Slingsby's crew, with the team required to sail in a three-up crew configuration alongside the other eleven teams.
Tom Slingsby, Bonds Flying Roos Driver and CEO joked about the intense conditions post-racing saying, "I was saying to the team after racing, I think my heart rate was higher in that breeze than it is when we are racing in 25 knots. It was Snakes and Ladders out there. It was never over, you'd get a gust of wind and you'd get ahead of the fleet and then you could lose five places in seconds if you dropped off the foils."
Slingsby added, "I mean it was so tough out here and you go into that start box just hoping for the best. Even after those tough starts, we kept our composure and hunted back in the fleet, so I'm really proud of the team. The job role changes so much when you're three-up, it means each person on board is doing double the workload whilst trying to make gains."
Meanwhile, sparks flew across the fleet. The United States were black-flagged at the start of the first race after endangering boats on the line, with multiple boats hit with boundary penalties, setting the tone for a day of high-pressure, fine margins and frustration.
Conditions are set to change again tomorrow, with a possible thunderstorm pushing racing to commence earlier, so the Flying Roos will need to battle unstable and shifty breezes to secure their hunt for a podium finish this weekend.
Racing will now commence at 2:00 p.m CEST on Sunday, starting ninety minutes earlier than originally scheduled. The revised timetable means racing on 21 September will now take place for Australians at 10:00 p.m AEST.