SYDNEY - February 24, 2024 - Tom Slingsby and his Australian crew have delivered for the home crowd at the opener of the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix, securing a solid second place but on equal points with Nicolai Sehested’s ROCKWOOL Denmark, who takes the top spot in a thrilling showdown on Sydney Harbour.
After a light-wind season to date, fans finally got to see SailGP in its full glory – close racing, and plenty of drama. The highly anticipated Sydney event got off to an exciting start with gusty conditions that tested the athletes and provided an action-packed first day on the waters of Sydney Harbour including a near capsize by Erik Heil’s Germany.
In front of a fervent home crowd, Slingsby’s Australia team was back with a bang after disappointment in Abu Dhabi. Securing a 1-2-4 result in the eighth event of SailGP’s Season 4, Australia remains firmly in the hunt for its season-first win and ready to defend its title on home waters, although will have a tough challenge from Denmark, who finished the day with a 2-3-2 scoreline to take the overnight lead.
Thousands of Australian fans watched on from Genesis Island – in the centre of the race course – and spectator boats as the ten strong fleet delivered dramatic racing that saw three different race winners. In the opening race, Australia took advantage of its favoured gusty wind conditions on Sydney Harbour, flying across the start line in Race 1 in record time and maintaining an unchallenged lead for the race, and averaging speeds of 60k/ph.
Slingsby said: “It was tough today with a southerly course but we’re really happy with how we sailed – probably one of the best days we’ve sailed this season. We had a strategy to stay close to Genesis Island in each race and that worked for us to get three good races.
“We need to start better than we did today. If we make the final, we need to be more aggressive in the final to get the win.”
The Flying Roos then made a strong comeback in the second race of the day after a slow start across the line to finish in second behind an impressive performance from Diego Botin’s Spanish team who took the win. The race wasn’t without its drama as it saw a cluttered pack fight to get in front and a near capsize from the German team when it came head-to-head with Quentin Delapierre’s France at the fifth gate and needed to take evasive action, missing the turning mark – which it nearly hit – just saving a capsize.
The final race of the day also saw an impressive performance from Australian sailor, Nathan Outteridge – stepping in for Peter Burling - who steered the New Zealand SailGP Team to first place after some smart decisions saw the team make the best of the tricky conditions to lead the pack for the majority of the race, followed by ROCKWOOL Denmark and France in second and third place with the Aussies securing fourth position.
Australia finished in second place but on equal points with ROCKWOOL Denmark after the first day of racing. New Zealand are in third position on 24 points followed by France in fourth place on 21 points and Spain in fifth place following its impressive win in Race 2.
The KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix in Sydney continues at 4pm AEST tomorrow, February 25 with the top three teams going into the Grand Final. Viewing is available on Fox Sports News, Kayo Freebies and the partnership with SBS (Special Broadcasting Service). For details on how to watch around the globe visit SailGP.com/watch. For fans in Sydney, limited tickets are still available to have a seat in the middle of the action. Head to SailGP.com/Sydney for more information and to secure a ticket.
KPMG AUSTRALIA SAIL GRAND PRIX | SYDNEY //
Day Two Racing: Sunday, February 25, 4.00 p.m. - 5.30 p.m. AEDT
SAILGP RACE DAY STANDINGS //
1 // ROCKWOOL Denmark 26 points
2 // Australia 26 points
3 // New Zealand 24 points
4 // France 21 points
5 // Spain 20 points
6 // Switzerland 13 points
7 // Germany 12 points
8 // Emirates GBR 11 points
9 // USA 9 points
10 // Canada 1 point
MEDIA HUB // The SailGP Media Hub is a dedicated space for media to be able to cover SailGP events remotely and includes live streams and updates, press conferences participation and post-race athlete interviews. Access the SailGP Media Hub via mediahub.sailgp.com.
ABOUT SAILGP // SailGP is the world’s most exciting racing on water. The global championship features national teams battling in short, intense races at iconic stadium-style venues across the globe. The high-tech, high-speed action features sailing’s best athletes racing in identical hydrofoiling F50 catamarans, flying at speeds approaching 100 km/h. SailGP also races for a better future, championing a world powered by nature. Visit SailGP.com for more information.
CONTACTS //
Bree Pervis | 0404 685 744 | bpurvis@sailgpaus.com
Katie Raine | 0428 833 307 | katherine.raine@thrivepr.com.au
Ciara Wylie | 0456 469 470 | Ciara.wylie@thrivepr.com.au
