The F50 fleet hasn’t raced since March, following the dramatic wing collapse of the Australian boat in San Francisco and the resulting cancellation of the Rio event. That incident triggered a full refit of all 12 F50 wings, a massive operation coordinated from Pensacola and Southampton. According to SailGP CEO Russell Coutts, the work involved cutting out shear webs, flying in new components, and reinforcing wing structures with aluminium cores—adding strength but also 2kg of extra weight.
The New York course presents a unique challenge. Wedged between Manhattan and Governors Island, the tight racetrack is defined by unstable breezes, skyscraper-induced shifts, and the complex tidal flow of the Hudson and East Rivers. It’s an environment where positioning and reaction time are everything. Drivers from across the fleet are unanimous: starting cleanly and getting out ahead of the pack will be crucial to success this weekend.
That’s exactly what New Zealand did in Friday’s practice. The Black Foils topped Group A with a 1-3-1 scorecard, executing strong starts and building early leads in the gusty, tidal conditions. Strategist Liv Mackay said the day was full of learning:
“Friday’s practice racing was challenging, especially with the change in schedule and the work that had to be done. It was a good learning day, though… The conditions were a bit different from what we’d prepared for — we got more breeze than expected, which was really exciting. That might play out again tomorrow.”
Importantly, the Kiwis looked sharp despite the long break. Their dominant form echoes their win in New York last season, where they took out the 2024 event ahead of Canada and Emirates GBR. While the Swiss and Danish looked rusty in Group A, New Zealand seemed comfortable in the conditions, particularly when navigating current lines and executing layline judgement around tight marks.
With storms forecast later today (Saturday local time), organisers have moved race times forward by two and a half hours, with racing now beginning at 1pm EDT (5am Sunday NZST). Thunderstorms in the region have already disrupted on-water activities, and Friday’s practice was a scramble to adjust to new conditions. Teams that adapted quickly—like the Black Foils—stood out.
In Group B, the BONDS Flying Roos (Australia) showed they remain the team to beat, with Tom Slingsby’s crew leading their fleet despite a shaky second race. They sit at the top of the overall season leaderboard, followed by Emirates GBR, Spain, and New Zealand in fourth. It’s a tight squeeze in the top four, with only a few points separating each team and four events left in the season.
With the stakes rising, the New York Grand Prix offers a chance for New Zealand to apply pressure and gain ground. A strong result could edge them closer to Spain and GBR in the standings—or even challenge Australia’s dominance heading into the latter part of the season.
Another unknown in the weekend’s equation is the restricted 24-metre wing configuration, due to ongoing repairs to the 29m wings. This limits light wind performance and forces crews to trim weight with four-person configurations. That reduction adds a new layer of complexity to already tight racing.
And while celebrity ownership has made headlines—Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman joining the BONDS Flying Roos, Anne Hathaway backing Red Bull Italy—New Zealand remains one of just two teams still owned by the league. It’s a reminder that the Black Foils continue to perform with fewer off-the-water distractions, instead keeping a clear focus on racing execution.
Looking at the conditions, Russell Coutts expects light, unstable winds with strong tidal influence. That suits adaptable teams like New Zealand, who are known for their disciplined starts and strategic agility.
“The current is going to be significant,” said Coutts. “And the influence of Governors Island can create instability. Teams with experience in these conditions may have an edge.”
For New Zealand fans, there’s plenty to watch. Can the Black Foils repeat their 2024 New York win and push back into podium position in the overall standings? Will their sharp performance in practice translate into points? And how will they handle the chaos of fleet starts in tight quarters, where one poor jibe or mistimed tack can shuffle the leaderboard?
We’ll be covering racing across both days—starting with tomorrow morning’s action at 5am NZST—and following up with race day reports and analysis. For now, it’s game on in the city that never sleeps, and the Black Foils are looking ready to fly.
