Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo S Series

Australia Sail Grand Prix Sydney presented by KPMG - Day 2

by SailGP 18 Dec 2021 02:21 PST 17-18 December 2021
Australia SailGP Team helmed by Tom Slingsby in action on Race Day 2 © David Gray/SailGP
Australia SailGP bears away at the first mark to lead the Team USA in the final race ©Bow Caddy Media
John Bertrand AO presents Australia SailGP Team with the winner's trophy ©Bow Caddy Media
Nina Curtis of Australia SailGP ©Bow Caddy Media
previous next

Tom Slingbsy delivered when it mattered for his Australia SailGP Team. Dominating the final race after an inconsistent weekend of results, the home team claimed victory in the Australia Sail Grand Prix presented by KPMG to secure its place in the Season 2 Grand Final in San Francisco, March 26-27.

Slingbsy finished ahead of a dogged performance from the man they call 'The Pitbull', two-time America's Cup winner Jimmy Spithill, who led his United States team to second place and was left still searching for his first event win in SailGP. As a consolation, Spithill's U.S. team officially secured its place in the Grand Final as a result of its performance in Australia this week.

Phil Robertson's Spanish team were unable to recapture the magic of its day one performance, making the three-boat final but finishing a distant third, to all but end its chances of a Grand Final appearance in San Francisco.

The heartbreaking story of the day was Japan driver Nathan Outteridge's heroic effort to claim both fleet races on day two. Outteridge recovered spectacularly from the drama on the opening day that saw the front of the Japan boat sliced clean off after a crash with Sir Ben Ainslie's Great Britain team.

Having caused the incident, Ainslie gave up his own boat to ensure Japan could compete and the team hit Sydney Harbour with a hybrid boat that comprised the Great Britain hull and the Japan team's 24 metre wingsail and hydrofoils.

But, the two race victories weren't enough for Japan to make the final, and they missed out by a solitary point.

Great Britain's withdrawal from the second day of racing meant the fleet was reduced to seven teams for the final day, but the top step on the podium once again belonged to Slingsby and his Australia team, as they claimed a fourth grand prix win out of the last five held.

Slingsby said: "I'm so proud of the people we have, from the shore team to the management, I'm a proud skipper and CEO, we didn't make it easy for ourselves but the way we bounced back, what we did today, was unbelievable."

Australia has now opened up a two point championship lead over the United States, with Japan four points adrift of top spot in third. Slingsby was thrilled to have booked his team's place in the Grand Final in San Francisco.

Slingsby said: "We have absolutely got a target on our back now for sure, we have won four out of the last five races and we have a lot of confidence, we are only improving and for me it's just particularly special to have secured this win at home in Australia."

Making critical, tactical calls on board the Aussie boat was Olympian Nina Curtis who, as part of the Women's Pathway Program (WPP), was racing onboard for just the second time.

Curtis said: "This has been one of the best days of my life. To be part of this in Sydney is amazing. The harbour was buzzing, there's people on every foreshore, on anything that floats, all out there watching and I've never seen anything like this in sailing before and I think the whole city really put it on this weekend."

Spithill was left still searching for his first SailGP event win, but can fully turn his attention to San Francisco now having secured his place in the Grand Final.

Spithill said: "It's great, I mean for Tom, it's his to lose now. It's great to be the underdog going into San Francisco, trust me, that's the great thing about sport, the favourites don't always win. The Aussies are still the benchmark team, they just push harder, we still have work to do, we have bridged that gap to them a little bit but we need more."

Outteridge was left rueing yesterday's dramatic collision with the Great Britain boat that ultimately scuppered his chances of making the final race in Australia.

Outteridge said: "It feels like such a missed opportunity, I would have loved to have been in that final with Jimmy and Tom and see how we could have stacked up against each other in a three boat race, I guess we will all have to keep waiting for that. It says alot about Australian sailors that the top three championship teams are driven by Australians, we are dominating SailGP at the moment."

Outteridge's Japan boat won the first race of day two in dramatic circumstances as a flying start by Peter Burling's New Zealand boat saw them lead from start to finish. But a penalty on the line for Burling meant Japan was handed the win. Japan streaked away in the second race to ensure they had done all they could to make the final, but it wasn't to be and their first place ahead of Australia and New Zealand was in vain.

It was a disappointing weekend for the French team, who never finished higher than fifth across the five races in which they featured, and they remain in last place in the championship standings. Despite a spectacular flying finish in race five for Denmark - that thrilled the spectators on Sydney Harbour - it was also a weekend to forget for Nicolai Sehested and the Denmark SailGP Team presented by ROCKWOOL, as they failed to register a top three finish across the two days.

SailGP Season 2 will conclude with the United States Sail Grand Prix, including the championship-deciding Grand Final, on March 26 and 27, 2022. Tickets can be purchased online at SailGP.com/SanFrancisco.

Australia Sail Grand Prix Final Rankings:

1 // Australia // 10 pts
2 // USA // 9 pts
3 // Spain // 8 pts
4 // Japan // 7 pts
5 // New Zealand // 6 pts
6 // Denmark // 5 pts
7 // France // 4 pts
8 // Great Britain // 3 pts

Season Championship Leaderboard (after 7 events):

1 // Australia // 55 points
2 // United States // 53 points
3 // Japan // 51 points
4 // Spain // 43 points
5 // New Zealand // 42 points
6 // Great Britain // 41 points
7 // Denmark // 38 points
8 // France // 35 points

Japan penalised one point in Season Championship
France penalised one point in Season Championship
Great Britain penalised four points in Season Championship

Related Articles

Ted Gersen joins Palm Beach Motor Yachts
Expanding Newport, Rhode Island presence with Industry Sales Veteran Continuing its expansion and focus on customer experience, Palm Beach Motor Yachts is excited to announce that yacht sales professional Ted Gersen has joined the company's Newport, Rhode Island team. Posted on 29 Jul
Antares 12 Coupe: a cruiser for all seasons
Asserting its position as a versatile family cruiser Faithful to the Antares line, the Antares 12 Coupe asserts its position as a versatile family cruiser, designed to accompany you on long passages, across all latitudes. Posted on 29 Jul
Airship | Funter Bay to Flynn Cove
Lots of fishing boats out today, as well as a few Dall's porpoises who surfed our bow for a bit We leisured late this morning in Funter Bay and didn't leave until after 11am. Another gorgeous, sunny day! We watched the F1 race and then pulled our anchor and headed out into the mostly glassy Icy Strait toward Flynn Cove. Posted on 29 Jul
Airship | Juneau to Funter Bay
We'll be buddy boating a bit over the next week or more with Dave on Turnagain We'll be buddy boating a bit over the next week or more with Dave on Turnagain, now joined by his brother Kyle. Posted on 28 Jul
Debut of the Picnic Boat 39
A new icon joins the fleet We invented the Picnic Boat. And we've never stopped perfecting it. The new Hinckley Picnic Boat 39 is a masterpiece of timeless design and modern ingenuity. Posted on 27 Jul
Prestige F4.3 - a new model for Cannes
A unique entry into the world of high-end yachting Experience the elegance and refinement of the new generation of the F-Line aboard the PRESTIGE F4.3. The quality of materials, fit and finish, interior and exterior design, functionality. Posted on 25 Jul
Four Winns debuts TH33 and TH38 power catamarans
Engineered to transform boating experiences into refined escapes Engineered to transform boating experiences into refined escapes, the new Four Winns TH33 and TH38 set a new standard for power catamarans of its size as the latest addition to its TH (Twin Hull) Series, launched in 2023. Posted on 24 Jul
Helping boaters steer clear of common mistakes
Veteran Sea Tow® captains share their tips Boating season is already in full throttle, and Sea Tow®, recognized throughout the marine industry as Your Road Service at Sea®, is proud to offer boating tips to avoid some of the most common mistakes seen on the water. Posted on 24 Jul
Airship | Ford's Terror to Wood Spit
We slept in again this morning at Ford's Terror We slept in again this morning at Ford's Terror, and then Taylor made a super yum breakfast taco bar...scrambled eggs, hash browns, Jerry's double-smoked bacon, tomatillo cream sauce, etc.... Posted on 24 Jul
Harris Boats unveils new Sunliner & Sunliner Sport
A bold evolution in Pontoon design Harris Boats, a leader in luxury pontoon craftsmanship and a Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC) brand, has announced the launch of the completely redesigned Sunliner and the debut of the dynamic Sunliner Sport. Posted on 23 Jul
Palm Beach Motor YachtsMaritimo M75