A nail-biting second race at the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix in Sydney saw Great Britain take a hard-fought victory over Australia, with France rounding out the podium. While the British team claimed the win, the battle on the water reinforced Australia’s dominance in the series, proving once again that Tom Slingsby’s crew remains the team to beat.
Thrilling duel at the front
From the outset, it was clear that race two would be a two-horse contest between Australia and Great Britain. The teams traded blows throughout the race, each taking turns at the front of the pack. Australia looked poised for another win on home waters, but a costly error where the wind changed direction and caught them off guard, allowed the British team to capitalise and secure the victory by the slimmest of margins.
France, showing promising consistency, secured third place, while Denmark and Brazil impressed with strong performances to finish fourth and fifth, respectively. Switzerland, winners of race one, couldn’t repeat their earlier success, settling for sixth. For any team to hit the top of the leader table, consistently finishing near the top of each race is absolutely essential.
New Zealand struggles continue
One of the most concerning storylines of the event has been New Zealand’s continued struggles. The Kiwis finished a disappointing seventh, and questions are now swirling around the team’s leadership and decision-making.
Initially, it seemed like young flight controller Leo Takahashi was the weak link in the team, as he adjusts to the demands of keeping the F50 flying smoothly. However, as mistakes continue to pile up, some are beginning to wonder whether the issues lie with Peter Burling’s strategic calls.
New Zealand’s performance in Auckland was already under scrutiny, but the team’s lack of competitiveness in Sydney so far is setting off alarm bells. With the next regatta fast approaching, the Kiwis must identify and address their weaknesses before another event slips away. (This is not just about rights to be called Champion, this is also to do with sponsorship and sponsorship returns; the better a team performs the more attractive it is to sponsors, and owners.)
Mid-fleet battles and the USA’s absence
Further down the leaderboard, Canada, Spain, and Italy struggled to break into the top half of the fleet, finishing eighth, ninth, and tenth, respectively. Germany rounded out the field in eleventh place.
Meanwhile, the USA remains absent from racing following their dramatic capsize in practice. Their absence has reshuffled the dynamics of the starting box, leaving a more congested fleet to fight for space in each start sequence.
Time running out for New Zealand to turn things around
While Great Britain celebrates a well-earned victory, all eyes are on Australia—nicknames The Flying Rooster—who once again proved their strength despite finishing second. The bigger question, however, is whether New Zealand can regain their form before their season slips away.
With Sydney’s racing set to continue, the Kiwis will need to dig deep and find answers—quickly.
