05/12/2026
by James Pacheco
One of the three teams in the Top 3 heading into Sunday’s action at the KPMG Sydney Sail Grand Prix is one that you, and the bookies, would have expected to be right up there; but the other two may not be.
Let’s look back at what happened in Saturday’s four races at Sydney Harbour and what the current standings look like.
BONDS Flying Roos SailGP Team Strike First
When you’re the home favorites, the neutral fans’ favorites on paper, and the bookies’ favorites to win the event as a whole, it’s perhaps no surprise that the Bonds Flying Roos were first past the post in the day’s opening race. That said, racing doesn’t unfold on paper, and you still need to go out there and do it.
And Tom Slingsby did, building up a lead far more considerable than it would normally be in lighter winds than expected, and never looked back.
As pointed out in our pre-event preview, the Aussies were a slightly higher price at 4.02 to specifically win the first race than the Emirates Great Britain Sail GP Team, who were the 3.85 favorites. Curiously, Slinsgby had said in the build-up to the event that it was the Brits, and not his team, who should be the favorites to win the Sydney event.
In Race 1, Emirates GBR had to settle for third, with ROCKWOOL Racing SailGP Team finishing just above them in second.
Though it was a fine race in tricky conditions, where mistakes were to prove costly, it was a good example of the betting odds telling their own story, with the Top 3 in the betting to win Fleet Race 1, ending up in the Top 3.
Los Gallos SailGP Team Win Two In a Row
But if Race 1 went the way of the three favorites, the unpredictability of SailGP racing was in force in Race 2.
It was won by Los Gallos, who were priced up at 10.26 to take the day’s second race, and the teams joining them on the podium weren’t the ones the bookies expected, either: the Switzerland SailGP Team was second and the United States SailGP Team third.
The Brits had to settle for seventh spot and the Aussies eighth.
But Los Gallos certainly weren’t done for the day in terms of race wins because they also won the day’s third race.
A chaotic start saw Germany SailGP Team Presented by Deutsche Bank, the BONDS Flying Roos and ROCKWOOL Racing handed penalties for being over the line at the start of race three.
But there were no errors at the start from Diego Botin. His F50 was foiling early on while others never foiled at all, and the difference was clear. So clear that Los Gallos lapped several teams and secured one of the most comfortable wins they’re ever going to have in the Rolex SailGP Championship.
The Artemis SailGP Team ended as runners-up with the Red Bull Italy SailGP Team in third.
A word on the Italians: they put in an excellent effort in terms of consistency, finishing fourth in the first two races and third in Race 3.
Slingsby Hits Back
But Slingsby was back in business in Race 4. He bounced back from a penalty for sailing outside of the race course boundary to win the day’s final race and delighted the home crowd to secure his second race win of the day.
Just before racing got underway, it had been announced that wing trimmer Iain ‘Goobs’ Jensen was back from a knee injury sustained in training, replacing the outstanding Glenn Ashby, who had stepped in for Jensen during his absence in the season’s first two events.
In Race 4, the Germans were second, the Americans third. Red Bull Italy had to settle for 10th this time, while Los Gallos were a bit higher up in fifth.
Los Gallos Lead the Standings Going Into Sunday
So with two race wins and two fifth places, it’s Los Gallos who head into Sunday top of the standings on 32 points.
The Bonds Flying Roos, who could only manage eighth and sixth in Races 2 and 3, are on 28 points, and Artemis’ consistency across the day paid off, seeing as they’re currently in third on 26.
Emirates GBR lies in fourth place on 23 points, the same number of points as Red Bull Italy.
So it’s all to play for on Sunday.
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