The German sailing team under co-owner Sebastian Vettel set an exclamation mark at the beginning of the SailGP. Helmsman Erik Heil had announced that he had worked on the starting tactics, and indeed: in the second race, the Berliner surprised the entire field and took his first victory. Heil stayed out of the position battles in front of the starting line for a long time, only to shoot forward at the last moment and set the ideal course. In the light winds off Dubai, the German team could no longer be caught. But the feat was not achieved again; after one seventh, one fifth and two tenth places, it was enough for ninth place in the final rankings.
The final of the top three for victory took place without the Germans. In the duel of the heavyweights, Pete Burling’s time beat again. “Pistol Pete” shot his Kiwis past the British and the Americans to the finish. It was only in October that Burling won sailing’s oldest trophy at the America’s Cup and beat the British there too. Now the New Zealand helmsman also won the start of the still young SailGP.
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