CHICAGO, June 18, 2022 – “We definitely have our work cut out for us,” said Jimmy Spithill, United States SailGP Team CEO and Driver, after a tough first day for the American team at the T-Mobile United States Sail Grand Prix Chicago at Navy Pier.
An enthusiastic Chicago crowd of thousands flocked to Navy Pier where a packed race village enjoyed exciting racing from the nine national teams competing on identical hydrofoiling catamarans at the inaugural Chicago event. The northerly breeze freshened to the mid-teens throughout the afternoon, creating perfect racing conditions for Chicago’s Skyline Stadium.
The neighbors to the north, the Canada SailGP Team, currently sit in first place after the three races, followed by Great Britain and New Zealand in third place.
“All the American fans that came out today have deserved better and we just weren’t able to execute clean laps on the race track, it’s as simple as that,” Spithill said. “We’ve got no excuses and just really struggled out there.
“When we returned to shore, I have to say it was a great boost to hear all the positive support from the fans telling us, “hey just keep getting out there, keep fighting. We’re cheering for you.’ That means a lot and tomorrow we hope to give them something more to cheer about.”
Sunday’s forecast is trending to a lighter breeze. The F50s will utilize the largest wingsail, extending 95 feet above the F50 platform, which Spithill hopes will help to change the team’s luck.
“On a good note, tomorrow’s conditions are looking to be much different. We will regroup as a team tonight to debrief, but right now our focus is on how to improve tomorrow. We need to come out and get a couple of results on the board, and keep ourselves in contention for the rest of the season.”
Sunday’s racing begins at 2 p.m. Limited tickets are still available here. The racing also airs live on CBS Sports, and via SailGP’s YouTube channel and app.