Canada sails a near-perfect race to take the LA title, as New Zealand and Australia battle behind in a thrilling showdown.
The stage was set in Los Angeles for a gripping three-way battle as Canada, New Zealand, and Australia lined up for the LA SailGP final. After two days of tight fleet racing and tense qualifying rounds, the top three teams were ready to fight for the prestigious LA crown.
New Zealand leaps ahead at the start
The Final race started at 15:10 local L.A. time with New Zealand’s Peter Burling and the Black Foils making the quickest getaway, foiling smoothly off the line and swiftly gaining an advantage. Canada crossed shortly afterward, while Australia surprisingly struggled, trailing from the outset.
New Zealand rounded the first gate 24.8 seconds after the start, holding a small advantage over Canada, who passed 5.6 seconds behind. Meanwhile, Tom Slingsby’s Australian crew found themselves lagging 22.4 seconds behind.
Kiwis set early pace while Canada keeps close
New Zealand still held a 1 minute and 10.2-second lead at the second gate. Canada was close, just 6.4 seconds behind, with Australia falling even further back, trailing by over 30 seconds at this early stage. Canada’s consistent foiling kept them comfortably within striking distance.
A dramatic shift as the Kiwis briefly off their foils
Midway through leg three, the Black Foils dropped off their foils. This momentary error proved costly. Canada seized the lead. Australia also capitalised, moving up into second and pushing New Zealand momentarily back to third.
The tension ramped up. Australia threatened a remarkable comeback.
However, the Black Foils quickly recovered. Accelerating hard and reclaiming second place from Australia, the Black Foils now focused their attention on Canada, setting a fierce battle for the lead.
Neck-and-neck through the third gate
The third gate proved a pivotal turning point. Canada and New Zealand, now virtually inseparable, rounded the gate together and battled hard for control; the game was on. Canada held a razor-thin lead, rounding the mark at 3 minutes and 29.2 seconds. The Black Foils passed the gate a smidgen 0.4 seconds behind. Canada remained calm under the pressure. Australia a passing thought at 18.6 seconds off the leaders.
Isn’t this what defines the best of SailGP? Precision, nerve, and tactical brilliance!
Canada makes a decisive breakaway
Into the fourth leg, the Canadians’ calm and strategic sailing saw them extend their lead inch by inch. At this stage of the race, putting pressure to one side, keeping a level head, and focusing on your boat in the race are key. The Black Foils showed their nerves and again struggled to control their foils. Consequently, the Canadian team rounded the fourth gate at 4 minutes and 57.1 seconds, a steady 18.9 seconds ahead of the Black Foils.
Despite a strong push, Australia rounded gate four 29.7 seconds behind, still fighting to remain in contention but clearly under pressure to make up ground.
Canada seals commanding victory at the final leg
Canada firmly asserted their dominance as the final gate approached, extending their gap ahead of the Black Foils to a tad shy of 100 metres. The Canadians, sailing impeccably under pressure and strategically taking advantage of the wind, rounded gate five at 7 minutes and 18.7 seconds, confidently powering towards the finish line.
New Zealand rounded gate five 31.4 seconds behind, maintaining second place but unable to match Canada’s blistering pace. Australia rounded in third, 43.9 seconds later, their last-chance protests dismissed by the umpires, marking the end of their challenge.
Canada takes emphatic LA victory
With cheers erupting shoreside, Canada crossed the finish line at 7 minutes and 39.4 seconds, clinching a well-deserved and impressive victory in the SailGP LA final.
New Zealand followed in second, finishing 30.4 seconds behind the winners. Australia, fighting valiantly but never fully recovering from their poor start, crossed third, 42.6 seconds behind Canada.
Canada won by keeping their heads under pressure, and not making mistakes at crucial mid-race moments where the battle was ultimately decided.
Final standings
This was Canada’s first major win in the 2025 season; perhaps being closer to home helped bring a sense of urgency. Their skills and experience are growing, ensuring good strategic and tactical decision-making.
New Zealand performed much better in L.A. than in Auckland and Sydney. Their focus on fixing issues is paying off. Securing second is commendable, and it helps keep them near the top of the Championship leaderboard, which was essential coming out of the L.A. leg. Having done the calculations, it is easy to see that the Emirates GBR and Australian teams could easily have been so far ahead of the other teams even at this mid-way stage of the competition. New Zealand should not be disappointed. Sure, there are areas to improve, and the key is to ensure they keep doing so.
Improving is what Australia will be doing, and we bet that Australia will prove to be a formidable competitor in San Francisco. They won’t miss another opportunity to win again.
Congratulations to Canada—for a memorable, commanding, and richly deserved victory at SailGP LA.
