Denmark was the standout team in SailGO’s Abu Dhabi event. France won the final fleet race, but Rockwool had already built a lead that no one else could touch, wrapping up the event and the $US800,000 prize with a margin that reflected two days of sharp, reliable sailing.
Race 6 mattered to France. Quentin Delapierre’s team had endured a patchy opening day and needed something strong to finish the event on their terms. They delivered with a clean race that suited the steadier breeze. For Denmark, the job was simple: stay in the front group and secure the event title. They did exactly that with a composed second place. Spain’s Los Gallos kept themselves tidy and took a well-earned third.
Final Abu Dhabi standings
The final table for the Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix read as follows:
- Rockwool Denmark
- Red Bull Italy
- France
Behind the podium came NorthStar Canada, then the United States, followed by Emirates GBR. Germany finished seventh, Switzerland eighth, and New Zealand’s Black Foils ninth.
Los Gallos were tenth, the Flying Roos eleventh, and Mubadala Brazil closed the list.
A note worth highlighting: Phil Robertson’s first weekend at Red Bull Italy has changed the tone around that team. He stepped aboard and immediately lifted them to second overall at the event, a result that will give the Italians something solid to build on heading into the next leg of the season.
A weekend divided by conditions
Abu Dhabi gave us two very different days. Saturday was painfully light, with long phases where foiling simply wasn’t possible. Most teams looked uncomfortable at times, yet Rockwool handled the awkward pace better than anyone and banked the results that ended up winning them the regatta.
Sunday offered a touch more pressure. Not much, but enough to produce longer foiling runs and a more interesting race shape. France took full advantage, Italy continued their upward curve, and Denmark again stayed in control when it counted.
Why Denmark stood out
What set Denmark apart was not a single win or one dramatic moment. It was the steady way they handled both days. They made smart calls in the marginal breeze, stayed patient in the traffic, and kept mistakes to a minimum. When the breeze improved, they shifted gears without forcing anything. It was tidy, disciplined sailing, the sort of weekend where nothing looked rushed.
Other teams flashed moments of pace, but only Denmark delivered a complete weekend from the first start to the last finish.
Now to the season’s grand final
Despite their run of form, Denmark were not part of the three-boat season final. That battle belonged to Emirates GBR, the Black Foils, and the Flying Roos, the teams who topped the overall championship standings.
It created a strange contrast: the best team of the Abu Dhabi event was watching on while the season title was fought out behind them in the event points table.
But for the Abu Dhabi event itself, the story is straightforward. Denmark was the benchmark, reading the conditions better than anyone and putting together a complete performance across every fleet race.
A thoroughly earned victory, and a strong signal of where their programme is heading.
