06/07/2026
by Emma Harrison
That brings day one to a close, but what a start it has been to the Germany Sail Grand Prix. We’ve seen the host nation steal victory from Emirates GBR in Fleet 1, the Black Foils claw things back to take second overall, and the Sail Grand Prix speed record was smashed by Denmark.
Day one round-up: Shocks, collisions, and winners from day one in Sassnitz
Unfortunately, the practice race didn’t quite go according to plan for the Mubadala Brazil boat team. A crash during their run brought any hopes and dreams of a win at the Germany Sail Grand Prix to an abrupt end. Despite damage to the France boat team’s F50, they received clearance, and all other teams managed to test the waters unscathed. With that, it was time to rest ahead of day one.
Emirates GBR took the early lead in Fleet 1, and it wasn’t until a mistake in the final stretch that Germany by Deutsche Bank stole the show, claiming their first victory in front of the home crowd.
In Fleet 2, it was Los Gallos that initially flew into the lead, and it wasn’t until Gate 2 that Emirates GBR started to show they meant business. Although they were pushed hard by Black Foils and France, it was Emirates GBR that held on and claimed victory.
It was (almost) all about Denmark in Fleet 3. Here, we saw Denmark get off to a fantastic start, soon smashing the Sail GP speed record at a staggering 103 km/h. The USA also had a sudden surge of speed; however, it was the BONDS Flying Roos that ended up snatching the lead through Gate 2. The Australians held on for the remainder, and Denmark claimed second.
Fleet 4 saw Black Foils take a great angle away from the pack; this proved to be a huge factor in the New Zealand boat team’s victory. Unfortunately, our eyes were also focused on a nasty collision between the US and Emirates GBR – we will make sure we keep you updated on this ahead of tomorrow.
Day Two preview: Things to consider ahead of the final day in Sassnitz
Whether you were down in Sassnitz or making the most of our live stream, it would be fair to suggest you haven’t been short of action on day one of the Germany Sail Grand Prix. Now, how do we think day two is going to turn out? Well, we have taken the following into account before building our predictions.
- Although athletes are now familiar with the course, Germany still has a home advantage
- Emirates GBR could find themselves unable to continue, but they have had an impressive start
- BONDS Flying Roos have an 8-point lead over the rest of the pack, meaning they have space to ease off the gas going into the final
- Just five points separate Black Foils (2nd) from Emirates GBR (6th)
- The USA could incur a huge penalty
- Speeds are managing to reach triple digits in good conditions
Insider insight: Who do we expect to steal the show on Sunday in Sassnitz?
Although a good first day doesn’t guarantee you a spot in the final – just look at Switzerland in New York – it is hard to look beyond a team as consistent as the BONDS Flying Roos. That said, it isn’t all about Team Australia leading into day two.
- Forward next race: BONDS Flying Roos at 3.85
- Black Foils to make the final at 2.5 (1.61 pre-race day 1)
- Emirates GBR* to make the final 4.26 (1.83 pre-race day 1)
* Only possible if Emirates GBR is not removed from the racing pool.
Final thoughts: All to play for in Sassnitz ahead of day two
BONDS Flying Roos are sitting pretty in first with an eight-point lead over Black Foils. Although this is going to put them in a great position ahead of day two, rest assured that it is still all to play for in Sassnitz.
Provided Emirates GBR gets the all clear to continue tomorrow, we could see them and the Black Foils managing to secure spots in the three-boat final. This will lead to a tough match-up, but the extra breathing room that BONDS Flying Roos have managed to give themselves could be enough to take home the win. With so much still to unfold, please be sure to stick around for the latest breaking news.
Starting points for our US readers
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