Bonds Flying Roos Extend SailGP Championship Lead With Bermuda Masterclass
by SailGP 11 May 06:56 AEST
9-10 May 2026
BONDS Flying Roos SailGP Team ahead of Los Gallos SailGP Team and Germany SailGP Team presented by Deutsche Bank during the final race on Race Day 2 of the Apex Group Bermuda Sail Grand Prix © Simon Bruty for SailGP
Australia strengthened its grip on the 2026 Rolex SailGP Championship with a commanding victory on Bermuda's Great Sound - their second in two events. Germany by Deutsche Bank secured a breakthrough Final appearance.
The Bonds Flying Roos continued their blistering midseason form with a commanding victory at the Apex Group Bermuda Sail Grand Prix, defeating Los Gallos and Germany by Deutsche Bank in a tense winner-takes-all final on the Great Sound. The victory marks back-to-back event wins for Tom Slingsby's Australian crew and their third event title of the 2026 Season.
In a lighter, tactical final contested in a reduced five-athlete configuration, the Australians delivered a clinical performance from the outset. Slingsby's crew owned the start from the middle of the line and steadily extended their advantage around the compact Bermuda racecourse, absorbing pressure from Los Gallos while Germany shadowed close behind.
It was a weekend where "everything clicked" for the three-time Rolex SailGP Champions, said Tom Slingsby. "The team was unbelievably well together - we were jelling, and it's amazing to get a result like that."
Slingsby continued, "Next up is New York, and I'm excited to get back on the start line. We have a really good dynamic going, we're working well together as a team, and I'm looking forward to seeing where that takes us."
A brief mistake from the Spanish - dropping momentarily off the foils midway through the race - proved costly, forcing Diego Botín's crew into an aggressive split-course gamble in the closing stages. But there would be no stopping the Flying Roos, who crossed the finish line comfortably ahead to cement their status as the Rolex SailGP Champions most dominant force, expanding their overall lead to 10 points.
Bermuda once again highlighted the growing rivalry between the Bonds Flying Roos and reigning Season 4 champions Spain, who finished second in Bermuda, moving into third overall. Across two days of racing, the two teams consistently separated themselves from the fleet through superior boat handling, cleaner tactical execution and relentless consistency in unstable conditions.
Los Gallos entered Championship Sunday level on points with Australia after an explosive opening day, and immediately reasserted themselves in race five with one of the cleanest performances of the entire weekend. Botín's crew led from start to finish to secure the Spaniard's 20th SailGP race victory, mastering the lighter breeze while much of the fleet struggled to stay consistent across the patchy Great Sound course.
Diego Botín said, "I think the team is in a really good place right now. We couldn't have imagined starting the season the way we have, and while it obviously hurts not to have converted any of the four finals we've made so far, the overall feeling within the team is very positive. We're sailing well, we're consistently putting ourselves in contention, and I'm confident the wins will come."
Looking ahead, Botín continued: "We just need to keep growing and keep pushing ourselves to improve in every area. That's what keeps this team motivated - setting new goals and continuing to evolve. Now our focus shifts straight to New York."
But the Australians responded immediately in race six. A near-perfect start allowed the Bonds Flying Roos to seize control from mark one and book their place in the Final with a fleet race still remaining. Behind them, the race delivered another dramatic reshuffle as NorthStar collapsed from podium contention to last after a costly maneuvering error, while Explora Swiss capitalized brilliantly to claim second.
Race seven then became a straight shootout for the final place in the winner-takes-all three-boat Final - and Germany by Deutsche Bank rose to the moment. Erik Heil's crew controlled the fleet despite unstable breeze and briefly dropping off the foils during a critical maneuver. The victory secured Germany's first Final appearance of the season and capped one of the team's most consistent SailGP weekends to date.
Heil said, "Conditions today were pretty amazing. Landmark conditions in Bermuda flat water. Enough breeze to foil, enough breeze to stay the boat. It's really cool - really cool to come back to this place next year. It was great."
Among the standout stories of the event was DS Automobiles Team France's resilience after stand-in wing trimmer Glenn Ashby suffered an injury during Saturday racing. Forced into emergency crew changes, the French team remarkably remained competitive throughout Sunday's racing with substitute athletes onboard, collecting multiple podium finishes despite the disruption.
Elsewhere, the U.S. SailGP Team demonstrated strong underlying pace in front of a sold-out Bermuda crowd, while NorthStar, Explora Swiss and ROCKWOOL Racing all showed flashes of front-running speed during one of the most competitive events of the season so far. Artemis SailGP returned to the starline following an overnight repair by the SailGP Tech Team, finishing fourth, fourth, and 10th in the day's three qualifying fleet races.
Next up, the Rolex SailGP Championship heads to New York, with momentum firmly on the side of the Bonds Flying Roos as the battle for the 2026 Rolex SailGP Championship continues. Find out more at SailGP.com/NewYork.