A Rapid Start
As the teams powered off the start line, Canada took an early lead, showcasing their intent. However, it wasn’t long before Australia made their move, threading the needle through the tightly packed fleet to take control. The start demonstrated just how fiercely competitive SailGP racing is, with teams jostling for every metre.
Mark 1 was rounded in quick succession, with Australia firmly in the lead, followed closely by Great Britain and Canada. The United States and Switzerland also stayed in contention, rounding within seconds of each other. New Zealand, who had shown strong podium form in earlier races, appeared off the pace, sitting mid-fleet as they rounded the first mark.
Key Mark 1 Rounding Times:
AUS: 1:02.5 after start
GBR: 0:08.9 behind leader
CAN: 0:13.5 behind leader
followed very closely by the second group in the fleet
SUI: 0:23.4 behind leader
ESP: 0:26.2 behind leader
USA: 0:27.2 behind leader
NZL: 0:32.1 behind leader
Australia Leads The Charge
By Mark 2, Australia continued to dominate, building a strong lead with their precise manoeuvres and remarkable speed. Canada and Great Britain were locked in a tight battle for second place, while New Zealand began to show signs of recovery, clawing their way up from 10th to 8th position.
Mark 2 Rounding Highlights:
AUS: 2:50.5 after start
followed almost on their heels by
GBR: 0:08.0 behind leader
CAN: 0:18.6 behind leader
Tight Battles In The Midfield
As the race progressed, the intensity increased. By Mark 3, Australia extended their lead further, while Great Britain managed to edge ahead of Canada. Meanwhile, New Zealand continued their resurgence, gaining critical ground and positioning themselves for a potential top-five finish.
Key Mark 3 Rounding Times:
AUS: 5:47.3 after start
GBR: 0:21.7 behind leader
CAN: 0:45.4 behind leader
In the lower half of the fleet, Brazil made an impressive push, flying past the United States in a thrilling duel to secure a stronger finish. The determination from Brazil’s Martine Grael’s team highlighted the competitive depth across all teams in SailGP.
Australia Claims Victory
As the race entered its final stretch, Australia’s dominance was undisputed. Australia Tom Slingsby’s crew crossed the finish line at 37:21, securing a commanding victory. Great Britain followed in second, with Canada rounding out the top three.
New Zealand delivered a late charge, fighting off the United States to secure fifth place, while Brazil’s remarkable final-leg sprint saw them leapfrog the Americans into sixth.
Final Results For Race 3
1st place – 10 points – Australia (Total points: 24 points)
2nd place – 9 points – Emirates GBR (Total points: 18 points)
3rd place – 8 points – Spain (Total points: 16 points)
4th place – 7 points – Canada (Total points: 18 points)
5th place – 6 points – New Zealand (Total points: 25 points)
6th place – 5 points – Mubadala Brazil (Total points: 6 point)
7th place – 4 points – USA (Total points: 18 points)
8th place – 3 points – Switzerland (Total points: 17 points)
9th place – 2 points – Red Bull Italy (Total points: 3 point)
10th place – 1 point – Germany (Total points: 15 points)
11th place – 0 points – Rockwool DEN (Total points: 7 points)
Note: France SailGP Team not taking part in Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas; will be awarded bye points in Season Championship
Day 1 Leaderboard
After three races, the leaderboard published by SailGP highlights the tight competition among the top teams. Australia’s win in Race 3 gave them a slight edge over New Zealand, with Great Britain, Canada, and the USA locked in a tie for third. Switzerland and Spain remain close contenders, while Germany and Denmark will look to bounce back in the upcoming races.
It is not clear to us at writing why New Zealand is sitting at second place at 23 points, instead of first at 25 points. We hope to provide an update on the scoring soon. In the meantime the published leaderboard results are as follows.
- Australia – 24 points
- New Zealand – 23 points
- Great Britain – 18 points
- Canada – 18 points
- United States – 18 points
- Switzerland – 17 points
- Spain – 16 points
- Germany – 15 points
- Denmark – 7 points
- Brazil – 6 points
- Italy – 3 points
Looking Ahead
As Day 1 concludes, Australia leads the pack, but the competition is far from over. With one more day of racing, every team will be pushing to gain crucial points and secure a spot in the finals. Fans can expect more heart-stopping action as SailGP Dubai continues to deliver drama on the water.
