Less than 24 hours before the start of the Spain Sail Grand Prix, the New Zealand SailGP Team were awarded the Trofeo Juan Sebastian De Elcano after a thrilling race on the Bay of Cadiz.
The race, held on the eve of the SpainSGP to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the first circumnavigation of the Earth in 1522, took place involving three of our eight national teams - event hosts Spain, plus the United States and the Kiwis.
The Kiwis, whose single SailGP race win this season came when skipper Pete Burling was not driving their F50, completed the six-leg race in 12:51, with the US crossing the finish line 57 seconds later.
The Spanish unfortunately failed to capitalise on their home water advantage, finishing a further 26 seconds behind, as Jordi Xammar drove their boat for the first time with Phil Robertson watching on from the shore.
The trophy awarded to victors New Zealand is named after Juan Sebastián de Elcano, who took command of the circumnavigation expedition following the death of Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese-born explorer previously in charge, in 1521.
Elcano safely returned one of the expedition's two remaining ships to Spain to complete the circumnavigation, arriving in Seville, Andalucía in September 1522. The name of Elcano's vessel, the Victoria, lives on in the name of the Spain SailGP's Team F50, also called Victoria.
Trofeo Juan Sebastian De Elcano champions New Zealand, along with Spain and the US, will return to action in Cadiz on Saturday when the Spain Sail Grand Prix kicks off. Racing begins at 16:30 CEST with full live coverage on sailgp.com and across SailGP's social channels. How to Watch details HERE
You can watch a full replay of the Trofeo Juan Sebastian De Elcano, here
