‘I want to win’: Aussie skipper confident for championship three-peat in $1.5m SailGP Grand Final

Australian sailing star Tom Slingsby is confident his team can claim an unprecedented three-peat in SailGP’s $1.5 million Grand Final.

Tom Slingsby is confident Australia can win their third consecutive SailGP championship as season three reaches its climax with the Grand Final in San Francisco this weekend.

Team Australia holds an 11-point lead in the standings ahead of second-placed New Zealand and third-placed France.

The handy leads means regardless of their results in the fleet races, Australia are guaranteed a place in the winner-takes-all Grand Final, to be held on Monday morning Australian time.

The winner of the high stakes three-team showdown will collect a cool A$1.5 million in prize money for their efforts.

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The Aussies won the first two seasons of SailGP and are favourites to claim a three-peat, which would cement their status as the top dogs of the world sailing league likened to Formula One on water.

“For me, it’s the most satisfying thing in the world to represent your country and be on the top step of the podium,” Slingsby told news.com.au.

Tom Slingsby is confident Australia can win the SailGP Grand Final. Photo: Jed Jacobsohn for SailGP.

“The number, the three-peat, doesn’t factor in for me. I want to win. Three is not the number I want to be at when I retire. I’m just focusing on each one ahead of me.

“I want to be a lot more than three wins when I retire. We’ve got such an amazing team. “When we do retire or when our team does split up in the future — it’s inevitable it’s going to happen one day — I want to look back and be proud of what we did and say, ‘We won more than any other team’.

“There’s no more motivation for me than standing on the top of the podium with an Australian flag, with the Australian team and saying that Australia is the best sailing nation in the world.”

The Australians have won both previous events at San Francisco and Slingsby is relishing the windy conditions on the racecourse situated between the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island.

“We’re going to go out there and try win some races before that final,” Australia’s team driver said.

“We like San Francisco. It’s a venue that generally suits us. We’ve been there twice and won twice.

“We’ve got happy and fond memories there. A lot of our team did the America’s Cup there and we’ve got fond memories from that as well.

“As Aussies, the windier the better and San Francisco is probably the windiest stop in the whole season.”

Tom Slingsby’s Aussies are chasing a three-peat. Photo: Adam Warner for SailGP.

Australia will likely take on New Zealand in the Grand Final, while Great Britain and France will battle it out in the fleet races for the third spot in the season decider.

Australia and New Zealand have both won three events in season three, forging a rivalry that has led to some tense moments on the water between Slingsby and Kiwi skipper Peter Burling.

“Obviously the rivalry gets played up in the media. We’ve been good mates for a long time,” Slingsby said at Friday’s press conference.

“You’re in SailGP to compete against the best people and there’s no hard feelings. He’s doing everything he can to win for his team, as I am for my team.

“We want to compete against the best. New Zealand are proving to be the top team to take our title. We’re looking forward to the challenge.

“As frustrated as I sometimes get on the water and I look back and cringe and go ‘You didn’t have to say that over radio’. I think Pete knows it’s all in the heat of battle.

“Everything that happens on the water we let it go. We’ll share a beer at the end of this. May the best team win.

The SailGP Grand Final will be held in San Francisco. Photo: Ricardo Pinto for SailGP.

“We want to compete against the best. New Zealand are proving to be the top team to take our title. We’re looking forward to the challenge.”

New Zealand, Great Britain and France have not competed in a season Grand Final before, which Slingsby believes could give the Australians a slight advantage as the more experienced team.

“We’ve got confidence,” the 2012 Olympic gold medallist said.

“We’ve been in the million dollar race and won in San Francisco before and these other teams haven’t. We’ve got to rely on that belief. No matter how nervous we are, the other teams are more nervous than us.

“We’re in a good position. We’re confident heading into the weekend.”

Team USA’s Jimmy Spithill believes the Australians are favourites to claim victory in the Grand Final.

“Man, that team has been impressive. They will be tough to beat,” he said.

Originally published as ‘I want to win’: Aussie skipper confident for championship three-peat in $1.5m SailGP Grand Final