You cannot win the regatta on Day 1 but you can definitely lose it.
SailGP Abu Dhabi Race 1 opened the Grand Final weekend with a surprise result, a tough outing for Spain, and a steady recovery from Australia after early trouble. Germany handled the patchy breeze better than anyone, staying in pressure when others stalled and taking the first 10 points of the weekend.
A slow start in drifting breeze
The fleet eased off the line in barely-there conditions. Switzerland timed their run well, hitting the line cleanly from the middle. Brazil also moved early, while several big names struggled to get moving, including New Zealand, Australia and Spain.
With only three legs to work with, every small error carried weight, and the early positions shaped the rest of the race.
Germany read the course best
Germany avoided the heavy traffic and linked the thin lanes of breeze that crawled across the course. They built their lead with every manoeuvre and held control from the first mark. Their settled approach stood out on a day when many boats dropped in and out of flight.
Moves through the pack
Canada and Denmark both linked tidy downwind lanes and stayed within reach of Germany through the second leg. Brazil and Switzerland also made gains whenever the breeze flicked up.
The USA held their lane well to secure sixth, while Italy and Great Britain battled through the middle in the closing stages.
Teams comfortable in light air made small but important jumps. New Zealand recovered from a slow start but spent most of the race fighting through disturbed air, eventually crossing in seventh. It wasn’t the opener they wanted, but it keeps them ahead of Spain in the season battle.
Australia’s messy afternoon
Australia had a scrappy race. They were hit with multiple penalties, including rulings for illegal board movement and unsportsmanlike conduct. At one stage they dropped right to the back, but a calm push on the final downwind lifted them to tenth.
Even so, they remain close enough to the leading trio to stay in the fight.
Spain in trouble
Spain’s hopes of reaching the Grand Final took a real blow. They were slow off the start, fell into disturbed air on the first beat, and never found clear pressure. As the fleet bunched up downwind, Spain slipped even further back and finished last.
With limited points on offer, they now have a steep climb if they want to break into the top three teams for the season’s final race.
One race down, three races to go, here in Abu Dhabi.
Germany bank 10 points and put themselves firmly in the frame for the Abu Dhabi event win. New Zealand stay well clear of Spain in the season standings. Australia take a hit but remain in range.
Points
Race points
1. Germany, 10pts
2. Denmark, 9pts
3. Switzerland, 8pts
4. Canada, 7pts
5. USA, 6pts
6. Brazil, 5pts
7. New Zealand, 4pts
8. Italy, 3pts
9. Great Britain, 2pts
10. Australia, 1pt
11. France, 0pts
12. Spain, 0pts
Event points
1. Germany, 10pts
2. Denmark, 9pts
3. Switzerland, 8pts
4. Canada, 7pts
5. USA, 6pts
6. Brazil, 5pts
7. New Zealand, 4pts
8. Italy, 3pts
9. Great Britain, 2pts
10. Australia, 1pt
11. France, 0pts
12. Spain, 0pts
Season points
1. Great Britain, 85pts
2. New Zealand, 82pts
3. Australia, 80pts
4. Spain, 76pts
5. France, 61pts
6. Canada, 48pts
7. Denmark, 38pts
8. Switzerland, 38pts
9. Germany, 31pts
10. Italy, 22pts
11. Brazil, 16pts
12. USA, -4pts
