SailGP Dubai drama for Australian Tom Slingsby with start disaster ending their bid for victory
UPDATED: A start disaster has deprived Tom Slingsby and his new crew of a winning start to the richest SailGP season in history in a dramatic opening leg in Dubai
Local Sport
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A start disaster has cost Tom Slingsby and his new crew on the Flying Roo of a winning start to the richest SailGP season in history and a big payout in a dramatic opening leg in Dubai
The Australian crew were on track to make the three-way finale when disaster struck in the crucial fifth race late on Sunday.
Boxed out at the start by their old rivals New Zealand, the Australians were unable to recover and produced one of their worst ever results to finish second last in the 11-strong fleet.
It was a costly result in the series which carries a record $19.7 in prizemoney which saw them out of the three-boat final after a tie break for third overall.
It was also a shattering result for the three-time series champions who led the field overall after the first day of racing and were in second place overall behind the New Zealanders going into the crucial fifth race.
“Really rough way for us to finish,’’ Slingsby said. “We had four race in the top five and then the last race we had a bad start and couldn’t find a way through the bad air and had a bad race and missed out on the countback.
“It was brutal. We just couldn’t find clear air. Everywhere we went we found ourselves caught up in little battles
“That’s on me. I have to position the boat better.’’
The Peter Burling skippered New Zealand Black Foils crew then won the finale from Great Britain and the USA to claim leg one honours.
Earlier, after an hours delay waiting for the wind to settle, the Australians finished fourth behind New Zealand, Spain and Great Britain in race four.
The result saw the Kiwis leapfrog the Aussies for the overall lead.
The Australians 10th place then saw Slingsby and his crew pipped for a berth in the leg decider.
SAILGP DUBAI DAY ONE WRAP
Slingsby and his reshaped crew had a day to remember in the opening leg of the 2024/2025 SailGP sailing series in Dubai on Saturday.
A feisty Slingsby pulled off an impressive manoeuvre in the third and final race of the day in Dubai late on Saturday to slot into a minuscule gap and hit the start line with speed before taking out race three of the regattas raced on foiling F50s.
Just an hour earlier Brazilian two-time Olympic champion Martine Grael made history as the first female skipper in the SailGP but after some technical issues pre-racing and a couple of back fleet performances, roared down the racetrack to secure a sixth place in the dramatic third race.
Consistency saw Australia snare the overall lead from old rivals, New Zealand with Great Britain, Canada and the US on equal points in third.
The opening race of the SailGP season, which includes a stop in Sydney in February, was terminated after the USA beat New Zealand in a lucky move for the Australians.
Slingsby and his team were further back in the pack at the time but awarded third place due to their position at a designated cut off gate.
The race was the first time Slingsby has previewed his new crew following the loss of wing trimmer Kyle Langford to the Italians in the off-season and the inclusion of British sailor Chris Draper.
A terrible start by the Australians put them on the back foot from the get-go in the second race and forcing them to sail in dirty wind early before managing to fight back for a fifth.
Powered by the biggest possible wings - 29m in size - Germany pull off a surprise victory in race two over the steady New Zealanders with Canada third.
Slingsby said post racing the addition of Draper had helped their light wind performance in Dubai significantly.
“We all know Chris’s ability in the light air and he has brought a lot of experience to the team in that area,’’ Slingsby said.
“We are so happy to have him on-board and it showed today that he is a seamless fit for our team.”
SAILGP CREW LISTS IN DUBAI
AUSTRALIA
Driver: Tom Slingsby
Wing Trimmer: Chris Draper
Flight Controller: Jason Waterhouse
Grinder: Kinley Fowler
Grinder: Sam Newton
Reserve: Jake Lilley
Strategist: Tash Bryant
Coach: Chris Nicholson
Mubadala Brazil
Driver: Martine Grael
Wing Trimmer: Leigh McMillan
Flight Controller: Andy Maloney
Grinder: Marco Grael
Grinder: Mateus Isaac
Reserve: Kahena Kunze
Strategist: Richard Mason
Coach: Emmett Lazich
Canada
Driver: Giles Scott
Wing Trimmer: Paul Campbell-James
Flight Controller: Billy Gooderham
Grinder: Tom Ramshaw
Grinder: Jareese Finch
Grinder: Tim Hornsby
Grinder: Cooper Dressler
Strategist: Annie Haegar
Coach: Joe Glanfield
ROCKWOOL Racing
Driver: Nicolai Sehested
Wing Trimmer: Tom Johnson
Flight Controller: Rasmus Køstner
Grinder: Julius Hallström
Grinder: Luke Payne
Reserve Sailor: Ed Powys
Strategist: Katja Salskov-Iversen
Coach: Francesco Bruni
Germany
Driver: Erik Heil
Wing Trimmer: Stuart Bithell
Flight Controller: James Wierzbowski
Grinder: Jonathan Knottnerus-Meyer
Grinder: Felix van der Hovel
Grinder: Will Tiller
Strategist: Anna Barth
Coach: Jacopo Plazzi
Red Bull Italy
Driver: Ruggero Tita
Wing Trimmer: Kyle Langford
Flight Controller: Andrea Tesei
Grinder: Enrico Voltolini
Grinder: Alex Sinclair
Reserve/ Grinder: Matteo Celon
Strategist: Giulia Fava
Backup driver: Jimmy Spithill
Coach: Philippe Presti
Emirates GBR
Driver: Dylan Fletcher
Wing Trimmer: Iain Jensen
Flight Controller: Luke Parkinson
Grinder: Nick Hutton
Grinder: Neil Hunter
Reserve: Nick Robinson
Strategist: Hannah Mills
Coach: Rob Wilson
New Zealand
Driver: Peter Burling
Wing Trimmer: Blair Tuke
Flight Controller: Leo Takahashi
Grinder: Marcus Hansen
Grinder: Louis Sinclair
Grinder: Sam Meech
Strategist: Liv Mackay
Coach: David Slyfield
Spain
Driver: Diego Botin
Wing Trimmer: Florian Trittel
Flight Controller: Joel Rodriguez
Grinder/ Tactician: Joan Cardona
Grinder: Ben Cornish
Grinder: Bernardo Freitas
Strategist: Nicole van der Velden
Coach: Simone Salva
Switzerland
Driver: Sebastien Schneiter
Wing Trimmer: Arnaud Psarofaghis
Flight Controller: Bryan Mettraux
Grinder: Matt Gotrel
Grinder: Stewart Dodson
Reserve and SUI Pathway athlete: Arno de Planta
Strategist: Maud Jayet
Reserve Strategist: Laurane Mettraux
Coach: Javi Torres
United States
Driver: Taylor Canfield
Wing Trimmer: Jeremy Wilmot
Flight Controller: Hans Henken
Grinder/ Jib Trimmer: Anna Weis
Grinder: Peter Kinney
Grinder: Mac Agnese
Strategist: Mike Buckley
Coach: Evan Aras
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