The ROCKWOOL Denmark Sail Grand Prix in Copenhagen was certainly eventful, with plenty of drama unfolding before racing had even started.
Great Britain could not compete at all after sustaining serious damage in practice and the first day of racing was called off entirely due to lack of wind. The compressed four-race format unveiled for day two made up for the wait, with plenty of close calls, definitive penalties and even a near capsize out on the waters of Copenhagen harbor. We round up the most memorable racing moments from across the weekend.
The U.S. Team's near capsize in Fleet Race 3
A messy manoeuvre on the second leg of the third fleet race proved fatal for the U.S. team, which struggled to regain control of the F50 as it rose precariously into the air.
The crew scrambled to the other side of the platform and managed to right the boat, but the incident pushed the U.S. team to the back of the pack.
France and Denmark race neck and neck in the Final
New Zealand's stellar start to the Final pushed Nicolai Sehested's Denmark close to the boundary, but the Danes fought back and ended up in a tustle with the French for second place.
Match racing tactics took place between the pair, while the Kiwis sailed on to a 25 second lead.
The penalty that pushed France two places down the leaderboard
This was a critical moment in the first fleet race for the French, who were heading for a fourth place finish. However, aggressive tactics from France driver Quentin Delapierre on the approach to the finish pushed Australia close to the boundary.
The consequent penalty meant France had to finish behind the Aussies, who were struggling to get back up to speed. In the meantime, Phil Robertson’s Canada swept across the finish line, pushing the Aussies down to fifth and France down to sixth.
Australia's close call with New Zealand
The fourth leg of the third fleet race saw aggressive racing tactics from Australia driver Tom Slingsby, who was gunning for a tight cross with New Zealand.
Slingsby only just avoided a collision by bearing away at the last second, resulting in the Australian boat falling off the foils. The Aussies were handed a penalty as they rounded the gate - the team’s second in quick succession following a close call with France.
New Zealand's stunning starts
It was a story of pure dominance from the Kiwis all weekend, with their flawless starts proving key to their racing masterclass. The team was among the first boats over the line in all three fleet races, and aggressive tactics from Peter Burling saw the Kiwi F50 almost push Denmark out of the starting box heading into the Final.
Reflecting on the race, Burling said the team's solid starts resulted in ‘all the time and space in the world’. “The race is easy when you’re leading at mark one,” he added.
