SailGP Auckland Day 2, Race 7: Denmark dominates while New Zealand makes a late push

A congested start

The race began with a congested start, and once again, New Zealand’s Black Foils found themselves at the back of the pack. Denmark, however, burst out of the gates with Italy and Australia in hot pursuit. By the end of Leg 1, Denmark had already established a commanding lead, raising questions about New Zealand’s readiness and strategy at the starting line. Could their slow start cost them a spot in the finals?

Denmark’s precision and Australia’s early exit

As the race progressed, Denmark’s Rockwool demonstrated masterful control, staying on their foils for an impressive 97% of the race. Australia, meanwhile, initially held second place but struggled with speed and technical issues. By the time they reached Leg 3, Australia had dropped to the back of the fleet, and with their spot in the finals already secured, the team made the pragmatic decision to retire early for repairs. This tactical withdrawal highlighted the high stakes and strategic calculations required in SailGP.

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New Zealand’s comeback effort

New Zealand’s fortunes began to change in Leg 3, as they climbed from sixth to third place. The Black Foils capitalised on penalties incurred by Italy and navigational errors from other competitors. With Brazil’s consistent performance placing them in second, New Zealand found themselves in a fierce battle to overtake.

By Gate 4, New Zealand had moved into second place, trailing Denmark. Despite their valiant effort and improved pace, the gap proved insurmountable. Denmark crossed the finish line first with a time of 8:43.314, followed by New Zealand at 9:15.379 and Spain at 9:23.945.

Analytical breakdown: Why did New Zealand fallshort?

Several factors contributed to New Zealand’s inability to clinch the top spot, and to miss out on the final race (race 8):

1. Slow Start: New Zealand’s repeated struggles off the starting line raise questions about their pre-race tactics and positioning. Are they overcomplicating their starts, or is there a deeper issue with boat setup?
2. Inconsistent Foiling: Denmark’s 97% foil time starkly contrasted with New Zealand’s, which appeared less consistent in earlier legs. Fine-tuning this aspect could be crucial for future races.
3. Late Surge: While New Zealand’s ability to climb the leaderboard was impressive, it also underscores the importance of maintaining a strong position from the start. Is their late-race pace enough to make up for early deficits?
4. Competition from Denmark: Denmark’s dominance in this race exemplified their tactical brilliance and boat handling under pressure. New Zealand will need to match or exceed this level of performance to compete at the top.

A tight race for the finals

There are no more fleet races; the eighth race is the finals race where the winner takes all. The finalists are Australia, Spain, and Great Britain; these three teams showed consistency, with strong starts, few errors, perseverance, and just simply good sailing.

Final note on Mubadala Brazil

Our hats off to Martine Grael and her Mubadala Brazil team. By far, the Brazilians seems to have made the most improvements in the Auckland series. We can’t wait to see what they will deliver in Sydney.