A tricky start in light air
With USA and Brazil sidelined after yesterday’s damage, ten boats took the line for Race 5 in a compressed start box. Conditions were light, shifty, and punishingly inconsistent. Emirates GBR and France threaded the needle well, but it was Quentin Delapierre’s French crew who initially surged ahead.
Behind them, the rest of the fleet scrambled to stay foiling. New Zealand tried to cut the corner but stalled, while Australia and Germany struggled to find pace. Denmark gambled hard on a shoreline shift, while Canada picked lanes of pressure through the middle.
Mid-race swings
By leg two, France’s early advantage evaporated as they came off the foils. Rockwool Denmark pounced, storming into the lead with clean speed through the pressure lanes. Emirates GBR stayed close, their small foils keeping them alive in marginal wind.
Australia began to climb back into contention, Tom Slingsby splitting from the pack and finding fresh air. Canada, meanwhile, incurred a boundary penalty, dropping them down the order just as momentum was building.
Germany, the Race 1 heroes, were steady but lacked the pace to challenge the podium spots. Spain hovered near the front group, threatening but unable to convert.
Black Foils struggle
For the Black Foils, Race 5 turned sour. Burling and crew were caught in light patches, repeatedly dropping off the foils. Despite sharp tactical calls, they couldn’t recover enough ground and trailed the leaders. By the final leg, they were locked in the back group with Switzerland and Italy.
A chaotic finish
The final approach to the line turned into a slow-motion thriller. Emirates GBR held the lead but came off the foils metres from victory. Rockwool Denmark and Australia closed in at pace, threatening to roll over them.
In the dying moments, Dylan Fletcher’s GBR team coaxed just enough speed to drift across first, clinching a vital win after yesterday’s crash drama. Denmark crossed second, Australia third. Canada and Spain rounded out the top five, while Germany finished sixth.
Switzerland, Italy, and New Zealand filled the tail end of the fleet — a painful result for the Black Foils as the race to the Super Sunday final tightened.
Super Sunday pressure builds
Race 5 underlined the challenge of Sassnitz. Four different winners emerged on Day One, and now Emirates GBR opened Day Two with another twist. With two more fleet races before the three-boat final, the leaderboard remains wide open.
For New Zealand, consistency is now crucial if they are to reach the all-important final showdown. For GBR, Denmark, and Australia, momentum is swinging their way at just the right time.
