Switzerland won the opening Group B race at the 2026 SailGP Halifax event, mastering a dramatic wind shift and a smaller four-crew setup on Halifax Harbour. Sebastian Schneiter’s Swiss team claimed a dominant victory ahead of Artemis in second and Germany by Deutsche Bank in third.
The race saw a major shift in conditions from the morning’s Group A opener, with the breeze initially jumping above 20 km/h and swinging to the north. However, the wind turned patchy in the closing stages, causing early frontrunners USA and Emirates GBR to miss the strict nine-minute time limit before finishing.
| Pos | Team | Driver | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Explora Journeys Swiss | Sebastien Schneiter | 5 PTS |
| 2 | Artemis | Nathan Outteridge | 4 PTS |
| 3 | Germany by Deutsche Bank | Erik Heil | 3 PTS |
| 4 | Red Bull Italy | Phil Robertson | 2 PTS |
| 5 | U.S. SailGP Team | Taylor Canfield | 1 PTS |
| 6 | Emirates GBR | Dylan Fletcher | 0 PTS |
Race 1, Group B standings.
New crew rules and fresh breeze
Group B started in vastly different conditions than Group A. The wind picked up to over 20 km/h and shifted from a westerly to a northerly breeze. This forced the six-boat fleet to race with four crew members instead of five.
Teams also had to adapt to a safety rule introduced after the New York collision. This mandate requires two athletes to be tethered behind the steering wheel at all times to improve visibility.
The Swiss tactical masterstroke
Taylor Canfield’s USA team got the best start off the line, leading around Mark 1 with Dylan Fletcher’s Emirates GBR and Germany close behind. Italy and Artemis struggled early on as the building breeze stretched the fleet.
The race turned on a bold strategic decision by Swiss driver and three-time Olympian Sebastian Schneiter. Noting extra wind pressure on one side of the course, Switzerland split away from the leaders. The gamble paid off immediately. The Swiss boat locked into the breeze, began foiling cleanly, and built an uncatchable lead. Nathan Outteridge of Artemis spotted the move, mirrored the line, and rocketed from fifth place into second.
Time-limit drama traps USA and Britain
As the race neared its conclusion, the Halifax breeze turned patchy once again, stalling the chasing pack. While Switzerland and Artemis sailed home safely, the clock ran out on the rest of the fleet.
Because the nine-minute race time limit expired before the remaining boats crossed the line, officials scored the trailing teams back to their positions at the last completed gate. This completely flipped the leaderboard, dropping the early-leading USA and British teams to fifth and sixth, while Italy inherited fourth.
