The second installment of Season 4 marks sailGP’s first ever visit to Los Angeles. From LA’s tight racecourse to Germany under pressure, we round up five things to watch out for when racing gets underway.
The tightest course on the calendar
Surrounded by the shoreline and the breakwater, the racecourse of the Port of Los Angeles is perilously tight. With a crowded starting line of 10 F50s, boat handling is set to be key, with Swiss flight controller Jason Saunders predicting ‘maneuvers every 20 seconds’. Combined with the wind forecast of 30-40 km/h, Los Angeles could provide some of the most exciting racing yet.
Can Germany repeat build on Chicago’s impressive performance?
LA marks only the second showing for newcomer Germany, and with such a tight racecourse and pressure on maneuvers, it looks like Erik Heil’s team will face a fresh challenge. If this wasn’t enough, wing trimmer Stu Bithell arrived late into LA due to personal reasons and co-owner Sebastian Vettell is in town. Can the new team rise to the pressure?
Can the French get back to their winning ways?
It’s been a rough few events for Quentin Delapierre’s France, with the team narrowly missing out on a spot in the Grand Final in San Francisco and starting the season with an uncharacteristically inconsistent performance in Chicago. France currently sits sixth on the overall leaderboard. Can the team bounce back in LA?
A turning point for Spain and Switzerland?
Young teams Spain and Switzerland both mastered light wind conditions to secure a race win in Chicago. Heading into LA, Spain sits in 5th while the Swiss are in 8th. Can the two teams harness the momentum and perform well in Los Angeles? Time will tell.
Will Australia and New Zealand’s rivalry continue?
There’s just one point between New Zealand at the top of the leaderboard and Australia in second - the fierce rivalry between the two teams looks only set to grow. Will Australia overtake the Kiwis, or can Peter Burling’s crew hold the Aussies off for another event?
