With local knowledge and minimal manoeuvres, GBR found clear lanes and avoided many of the course’s notorious traps — including the wind shadow cast by Spitbank Fort. Strategist Hannah Mills and helm Dylan Fletcher communicated calmly throughout, making the most of their advantage after a poor middle-of-season run. Their lead stretched to 12 seconds by the final gate, cementing their dominance on a course where space and speed were both at a premium.
Black Foils bounce back
New Zealand’s Black Foils showed poise and precision, climbing from a challenging mark one position to claim second place. Despite an early split from the fleet — turning right while the Brits opted for a left gate — the decision paid dividends as the Kiwis found more pressure offshore.
By the final leg, it was a duel with Rockwool Denmark, with Peter Burling playing a perfect layline into the final gate, sliding inside to take second at the line.
The Danes, who had looked sharp through the first three legs, settled for third — still a strong start for a team that came into the event needing points.
Spain falters, mid-fleet tightens
Spain, leading the season overall heading into Portsmouth, showed speed but suffered a critical unforced error downwind. Trimmer Joel Rodriguez pushed the foil flight a bit too aggressively, causing a loss of control and distance.
They eventually crossed in fourth place — not a disaster, but less than what was expected from the two-time event winners.
Switzerland rounded out the top five, improving steadily after a scrappy start, while the USA’s gamble to split off from the main pack didn’t pay off as hoped. Tom Slingsby’s Australia, meanwhile, started last from the second gate but managed to climb to seventh, possibly salvaging what could have been a shocker.
Tactical pressure, physical race course
Portsmouth’s compact and obstacle-laden course drew commentary throughout the race. Channel markers, current lines, and the looming presence of Spitbank Fort all presented challenges that teams needed to factor into every decision.
Lisa Darmanin, reporting from the water, noted the gusty and shifty conditions were compounded by navigational complexity:
Several teams appeared to be caught out by poor positioning or the boat traffic ahead, underlining the advantage held by GBR and other front-runners who managed to sail their own race from the outset.
Results – Race 1 (Unofficial)
France are out of the race after breaking their wingfoil half way down the mast in the pre-race practice.
- Emirates GBR
- New Zealand
- Rockwool Denmark
- Spain
- Switzerland
- United States
- Australia
- Italy
- Canada
- Brazil
A great start for Emirates GBR
Emirates GBR couldn’t have asked for a better start to their home regatta (and I can hear that they’re doing almost as well in Race 2.) Their victory puts them firmly in contention, narrowing the gap to the season leaders. With three more races to go on Day 1 and three more on Sunday, consistency will be key. As the commentary team put it:
For fans, the message is clear: this regatta is wide open. And with Emirates GBR bringing local form and home-crowd momentum, they might just be the team to beat.
