Chaotic Start to New York SailGP: Aussies Face Major Setbacks Amidst Extreme Conditions
The opening day of the New York SailGP event proved to be a brutal test for the world’s elite sailing teams, with extreme weather conditions and on-water incidents wreaking havoc. Leading the championship, the Australian team, affectionately known as the “BONDS Flying Roos,” endured a particularly difficult start, suffering significant boat damage and a blow to their title aspirations.
The racecourse off Manhattan was battered by wind gusts exceeding 40 knots, creating treacherous conditions. The severe weather led to limitations on crane operations for launching the F50 catamarans onto the water. With time rapidly dwindling, organisers made the difficult decision to restrict Saturday’s racing to only the four leading teams: Australia, Great Britain, Spain, and the United States.
Unfortunately for the Flying Roos, their participation was cut short before the racing even commenced. A severe nose-dive of their F50 catamaran, caused by an onboard hydraulic issue, left them facing extensive repairs. The team spent a frantic 45 minutes with their technical crew attempting to salvage the situation, but ultimately, they were unable to make it to the starting line for the day’s races.
“We went out there and it was tough conditions,” commented Flying Roos driver Tom Slingsby. “We were just doing a practice lap and got out of control and did a big nose-dive. Unfortunately, we did a lot of damage to the boat and spent about 45 minutes with the tech team trying to make repairs but still weren’t able to make racing.”
The team is now working around the clock to be ready for Sunday’s action. “The SailGP tech team and our shore team are going to work hard tonight to help get us on the start line tomorrow,” Slingsby added, highlighting the urgency of their repair efforts.
Spain Takes the Lead as Other Teams Battle the Elements
Despite the challenging circumstances, Great Britain’s “Emirates GBR” managed to secure victory in the opening race, which featured only two boats due to the limited fleet. However, it was the defending New York champions, Spain’s “Los Gallos,” who truly mastered the brutal conditions. They went on to claim victory in the subsequent two races, finishing the day at the top of the event leaderboard with four points.
“It’s kind of a weird weekend with the conditions we have today. You cannot fight Mother Nature many times,” remarked Spain’s skipper Diego Botin, acknowledging the formidable power of the weather.
For the United States team, competing on home waters for the first time this season, the day was initially marked by frustration. Their F50 was not on the water in time for the delayed start of the first race. While they ultimately finished third in races two and three, they provided one of the day’s most spectacular moments. During race three, their F50 catamaran reached an astonishing speed of 100 km/h, narrowly missing SailGP’s all-time speed record by a mere 3 km/h.
The full SailGP fleet is expected to return for Sunday’s racing, with teams hoping for more manageable conditions as they continue their pursuit of the championship title. The dramatic events of the opening day have certainly set a thrilling, albeit challenging, tone for the remainder of the New York leg of the global sailing competition. The resilience and skill of these elite athletes will undoubtedly be tested further as they navigate the remaining races.
