SailGP hits South America: Artemis draws first blood in Rio

Finally, Rio

Rio de Janeiro was always going to bring drama in some way, and Race One under Sugarloaf Mountain delivered. Light, patchy winds, a fleet retirement for the championship leaders, and Nathan Outteridge at his best.

SailGP’s first South American event had originally been scheduled for last year but was postponed after a structural defect was identified in the F50 wingsails, prompting a full replacement programme across the fleet. The event has now gone ahead in Rio, though New Zealand remains sidelined as they await a new boat. Usable components from Amokura were transferred to the DS Automobiles FRA following the Black Foils’ Auckland collision with the French, helping return them to racing. There are indications New Zealand may be back soon, but no official timeline has been confirmed. 

Short-handed but back

DS Automobiles FRA did return to racing, though short-handed. Two crew members are still recovering from the Auckland crash, and Black Foils strategist Liv McKay was drafted in to fill the gap as grinder. Peter Burling, grounded while his boat is repaired, traded the helm for a headset and joined the broadcast team, giving sharp commentary while no doubt watching proceedings with more than a little frustration.

- Advertisement, article continues below -

Sugarloaf’s wind lottery

Guanabara Bay served up the conditions it is known for. Around 8 knots from the south with gusts to 16 knots, the wind bending and swirling around Sugarloaf into unpredictable patches. This was always going to be a course where reading the breeze mattered more than anything else, and teams either found it or they didn’t. Home team Mubadala Brazil didn’t even make the start. A technical fault kept them ashore for race one, unfortunate for the sport’s debut event in front of a Brazilian crowd.

Outteridge nails it

The start itself set the tone. NorthStar Canada and Red Bull Italy (with Kiwi Phil Robertson at the helm) were both penalised for starting early. Artemis needed no such drama. Outteridge timed his run perfectly, slipped into a gap near the line, got the boat up on the foils with about nine seconds to spare, and drove clear of the pack. Los Gallos and the US team tucked in behind, but the gap was already forming.

From there it was Artemis’s race to lose. Wing trimmer Chris Draper was outstanding in the tricky, fading pressure, keeping the boat connected to the foils while others around them dropped off. Artemis stretched their lead through every mark and nursed it home.

Slingsby sleeps fine

Australia was the comeback story. Slingsby and the Flying Roos had been well back through the early stages but the final downwind gave them the room they needed. They picked their way through to second, Slingsby adding nine points to the tally and trimming the gap to Emirates GBR further. He’d copped a bit on social media during the week. He’ll sleep fine.

Taylor Canfield and the US team survived a nervous finish to take third. France and Los Gallos were charging on the last leg and very nearly caught them, but the Americans found the foils just in time. France took fourth in their first race back since Auckland. For a boat that missed an entire event and was essentially rebuilt in New Zealand, that’s a decent return. Germany sixth, Italy seventh after their start penalty, Rockwool eighth, Switzerland ninth, Northstar tenth.

- Advertisement, article continues below -

Leaders take a zero

Then there was Emirates GBR, who scored nothing. Championship leaders coming into Rio with a three-point buffer, the British team retired from race one after a foil problem they couldn’t sort on the water. Oddly, it is not unfamiliar territory. They have had a rough opening race at every event this season and found their way back each time. The deficit across three remaining fleet races and a final is recoverable. But the window doesn’t get bigger, and Outteridge is not the kind of sailor who gives anything back.

Three more fleet races to come. The top three go through to Sunday’s final.

SailGP Rio Fleet Race 1 results