SailGP: Day 1 - Dubai - Black Foils top leaderboard after a day of little foiling time
by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World NZ 23 Nov 2024 10:36 UTC
The SailGP fleet in action with Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team and Canada NorthStar SailGP Team in the foreground during racing on Race Day 1 of the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix - November 23, 2024 © Simon Bruty/SailGP
The America's Cup champions, fresh from defending their title, a month ago, sailed consistently and the Black Foils topped the overnight leaderboard by a three point margin without having won a race.
The start of racing was delayed waiting for the wind to settle. F50s were racing with 29metre rigs and five crew, wind shown at 9kmh it increased over the day. It was a rarity to see a team actually get foiling.
Not unexpectedly, the new teams both finished at the bottom of the leaderboard, scoring a single point each.
Only 11 teams started, with France deciding to sit out the event, pending the arrival of their new F50 for the next regatta in Auckland in mid-January.
The crew changes, of which a lot was made prior to the regatta, seemed to have little effect, with the Kiwis who'd lost one person - replaced by a member of ETNZ's development program, topped the overnight leaderboard.
The USA, who have stuck with an All-American crew, showed a strong improvement to win the first race - leading from near end to end, and finished equal second with 14pts on the leaderboard, well removed from their usual tenth spot of Season 4.
Switzerland, with two high quality imports from the Alinghi Red Bull Racing Team won Race 2, and were as inconsistent in the other two races, as the rest of the 11-boat fleet, to form part of a four way tie for second place, along with Germany, Australia and USA. The disappointing performances were largely attributable to the conditions, and the need to get crew co-ordination and communication when operating under unfriendly fire.
The star turn came from Brazilian skipper Martine Grael in the final stanzas of Race 3, when the Brazil crew saw an opportunity open rounding the last mark and with a short leg to sail to the finish. The Brazil team got the pace on, went around the outside of the front group, and seized a handful of places to finish with a very countable sixth place.
Two races and a Final are expected to be sailed tomorrow.
Race notes:
Race 1:
Mark 1: USA, GER and AUS led off the start
Mark 2: AUS
Mark 3: USA, AUS, NZL - After rounding the Mark NZL got foiling on Leg 4, but USA still led at the cross.
Mark 4: USA (16m 12sec), NZL, SUI.
The boats that finished after 4th place - Australia was 5th, did not finish within the prescribed timelimit and all went into a countback to placings at the previous mark they rounded.
Race 2:
Crew numbers reduced by one to four crew. Conditions still light.
Brazil (Windward end of line) and Canada go the best starts.
Mark 1: GER, CAN, SUI, ESP
Mark 2: GER, CAN, NZL, SUI
Finish: GER, CAN, NZL, SUI
Race 3:
AUS came through into a gap at the start, after being at the back.
Finish: AUS, GBR, ESP, CAN, NZL, BRA