No records, but Aussies lead the charge as new world sailing series slips into gear

Mother Nature foiled the hopes of crews on radical F50 racing machines to break the 50-knot barrier on Sydney Harbour as a pair of Aussies emerged as the leaders of a new world sailing series.

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Mother Nature foiled the hopes of crews on radical F50 racing machines to break the 50-knot barrier on Sydney Harbour as a pair of Aussies emerged as the leaders of a new world sailing series.

Even in light winds on Friday the six skippers in the new SailGP series put on a show as they converted the harbour into a speedway for their extraordinary foiling catamarans — radically improved incarnations of the 50-footers raced at the last America’s Cup.

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And it was a pair of old mates on rival boats who stole the show with Nathan Outteridge and his Japanese team finishing just a place ahead of Tom Slingsby and his Australian crew after three thrillers on the harbour.

“The first one we just couldn’t get it right. Bad boat handling, not on the right side of the course,” said Slingsby, who admitted to being frustrated at making mistakes in race one where he finished fourth before two firsts.

Team China get some air on Sydney Harbour. Picture: Toby Zerna

“I’m not sure if the cameras caught it but I was pretty angry after the first one.”

Slingsby was able to channel the anger into two wins which leaves Australia just a point off the lead heading into Saturday’s final three races.

Outteridge and his Japanese team, with a win and two seconds, leads overall from his old London Olympic teammate Slingsby.

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Friday saw half a dozen one-designed 50-foot foiling beasts made of carbon fibre and racing above water on cutting-edge, aerodynamic blades debut in the SailGP series backed by American billionaire Larry Ellison.

Ellison, who won the deadly 1998 Sydney to Hobart but has never raced it again, hopes SailGP will rival the best world sport has to offer for excitement, technology and action.

Team Japan snared a win and two seconds on the opening day of racing in the SailGP on Sydney Harbour. Picture: Toby Zerna

Skippers representing Australia, Japan, France, the US, Great Britain and China have the goal of cracking 50 knots in racing — a speed which just a decade ago would have broken the outright speed record, which now stands at 65.45 knots, and was set by Vestas Sailrocket 2 off Namibia back in 2013.

But on Friday — just two days after speeds in excess of 48 knots were reached in training — light winds saw them fall short of the magic milestone.

The SailGP catamarans still reached speeds in excess of 35 knots (65km/h) — far faster than anyone driving home from work on Sydney roads at the same time — warning all in their way with a high-pitched scream from vibrations caused by the water flying across the foils at high speed.

Team Australia weren’t far off the pace. Picture: Toby Zerna

Between 16-20 knot of wind, along with flat water, is optimal for top speeds with sailors getting one more shot at the mark on Saturday during the final day of the Sydney event.

Sailors believe in the right conditions the F50s can reach 53 knots with cavitation — where high speed causes the water to bubble near the foil, reducing lift and ultimately limiting the ability to fly the boat efficiently — occurring at 48 knots.

The first appearance of the F50s in full throttle racing saw hundreds of boats cram the harbour to watch the action with spectators given a birds eye view from Shark Island.

As the sport works to better display its assets and excitement, television or App watchers were treated to a wide array of information and data delivered to screens off the boats almost instantaneously.

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