Peter Burling’s crew dominates again, securing back-to-back wins on the LA course. Race 2 in Los Angeles saw another thrilling display of sailing brilliance from the Black Foils, New Zealand’s SailGP team, as they clinched their second consecutive victory.
Demonstrating outstanding skill and teamwork, Peter Burling’s crew left competitors trailing, with Canada and Australia filling out the remaining podium positions.
Another commanding performance by the Black Foils
Starting promptly at 10:30am here in New Zealand, the Black Foils took immediate control, swiftly establishing an advantage after the starting gun. Burling’s impeccable helming and strategic mastery on the tightly-packed LA course allowed his team to round Mark 1 ahead of the fleet, immediately setting a blistering pace.
From the first rounding, New Zealand dictated the rhythm, flawlessly executing every manoeuvre to steadily extend their lead. Crossing the finish line at 10 minutes, 40 seconds, just 10 minutes and 27 seconds after the start, the Black Foils achieved another decisive win, further cementing their dominance on the first day of competition.
Tight competition behind the leaders
The battle for the podium places was intense, with Canada’s Giles Scott and his team putting up a fierce fight. Canada consistently challenged New Zealand but ultimately crossed the finish line 17.6 seconds behind the leader.
Australia’s crew secured the third-place position after a challenging race that involved several penalties, including infractions during tight tactical manoeuvres.
Great Britain, helmed by Dylan Fletcher, narrowly missed the podium but remained competitive throughout, showcasing strong tactical sailing and disciplined crew work.
Penalties and drama on the course
The compact Los Angeles course, combined with a full 12-boat fleet, inevitably led to tight squeezes and tactical confrontations. Australia notably faced multiple penalties, including an infringement against the U.S. team early in the race. The close quarters brought pressure and complexity, and excitement, to the race.
Switzerland also faced a boundary infringement penalty, demonstrating the risks teams faced while pushing hard to gain advantage.
Race 2 final standings
1st: New Zealand (Peter Burling)
2nd: Canada (Giles Scott)
3rd: Australia
4th: Great Britain
The rest of the fleet, including teams from Germany, Italy, the USA, Spain, France, Brazil, and Switzerland, displayed intense competition but could not match the precision and speed of the frontrunners.
Burling praises team effort
After the victory, Peter Burling praised his crew’s performance and teamwork:
“We really executed well again in this race. Every member of the team did their job perfectly, and it paid off. Conditions here require precise sailing, quick thinking, and excellent coordination—we delivered that today. Now, we need to keep the momentum going into tomorrow and beyond.”
Two more races today
With two commanding wins under their belt, the Black Foils have firmly reasserted their position as frontrunners in the SailGP championship. All eyes will now focus on whether they can maintain their exceptional form in the two remaining races today and carry the momentum into tomorrow’s racing.
