SailGP skipper Tom Slingsby cops Aussie loss on chin in LA, fired up for San Francisco event

A few weeks ago this skill was two-time world sailor and SailGP skipper Tom Slingsby’s superpower. Now it has disappeared and he is completely mystified. LA SailGP wrap

Switzerland in close action with the Australian SailGP team. Picture: Felix Diemer for SailGP.

A few weeks ago, this skill was two-time world sailor and SailGP skipper Tom Slingsby’s superpower. Now it has disappeared and he is completely mystified.

Slingsby, a product of Sydney’s Central Coast, an Olympic champion in 2012 and multiple America’s Cup winner, is baffled by the abrupt loss of his ability to nail starts in SailGP races, admitting to frustration and being “raw’’ after it could have cost the Australian’s victory in the finale of the LA event on Monday.

The Aussie team missed the opportunity to jump to the top of the leaders board in the SailGP series to set the scene for a battle royale with Great Britain in the next leg in San Francisco this coming weekend.

Slingsby and his Flying Roos crew were handed a golden opportunity to take the lead when they beat Dylan Fletcher and his team by a single point to book their spot in the three-boat final and prevent them going through.

A victory would have seen them take the lead overall but instead a third place has kept them in second place but narrowed their deficit to their arch rivals to just two points.

Most of the Australia troubles stemmed from poor starts with skipper Slingsby copping the responsibility for that on the chin.

Australia SailGP Team helmed by Tom Slingsby in action in LA. Picture: Felix Diemer for SailGP.

“My starting this week was just terrible,’’ Slingsby said.

“Amazing how it can go from your biggest strength to your biggest weakness but that seems what has happened and I had a shocker.

“It’s a really frustrating way to finish but the team is sailing well and when we’re up and running, we are sailing quick.

The Australians in a fly-by in LA

“It’s just a bit raw at the moment. I forgot how to start today. The starts were a real problem for me.’’

The event in LA threw up some mixed results for the Australian team who are still fired up after being beaten by Great Britain for victory on home waters in the Sydney SailGP last month.

In the opening race of the LA event, they hooked seaweed on their foil which saw them post a back of field result.

In the last lead-up race to the final they just scraped in with a seventh place finish.

An eighth place would have seen the Brits go into the finale against eventual winners Canada and New Zealand.

In the final another poor start left the Aussies trailing from the start.

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Originally published as SailGP skipper Tom Slingsby cops Aussie loss on chin in LA, fired up for San Francisco event