Diego Botín’s Spanish team was just short of the podium in the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix This weekend, the first event of the fifth season of SailGP, in which they defend the title won in July 2024. New Zealand, the United States and Great Britain took the places of honor in this order after the final, but access to this decisive test was closer than ever, with United States, Spain and Australia -winner of the first three seasons- tied on points for third, fourth and fifth places.
Spain went from less to more during the championshipwith an eighth, a sixth and a third in Saturday’s tests. On Sunday, light winds once again characterized the day, and the Gallos started with a second place in the first race of the day after making a great start on the right side. The fight at the front of the table was fierce and Diego Botín’s men faced the last leg leading the fleet of eleven boats -France did not take part in this first event-, but a failure with the foils in the maneuver left the way clear for the Kiwis, who scored the partial victory. In the fifth round of the championship, the Gallos did well again but finished fourth, while the United States’ second place gave them access to the final, tied on 32 points with Spain but with the tiebreaker in their favor.
«We leave with a bittersweet taste -Diego Botín acknowledged-we have had good starts but we have not managed to materialize, we have not navigated the field well. But fourth place gives us some good points to start the season.”
Joan Cardona, for his part, highlighted the “more aggressive” approach to exits on Sunday, when they chose to come from behind with speed.
The Kiwis lift the Dubai trophy.
New Zealand wins
New Zealand went to the final as leaders, with the successful tandem of Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, followed by Great Britain with Dylan Fletcher as the new driver and, in third place, the United States of Taylor Canfield. The race was very close, with continuous leadership changes, but The Kiwis ended up sentencing, thus extending the reign of Peter Burling and Blair Tuke of the Copa América. The United States took silver and Great Britain climbed to third place on the podium.
Equality marked this first event of the fifth season of Rolex SailGPin which Martine Grael’s Mubadala Brasil and Ruggero Tita’s Red Bull Italia debuted at the bottom of the classification. There are still hours left on board the F50.
Auckland (New Zealand) hosts the next event of this fifth season, the days January 18 and 19.
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