Denmark seize their moment
Race 2 of the Spain Sail Grand Prix in Andalucía delivered a fresh twist to an already unpredictable day. Rockwool Racing Denmark mastered the start, executed clean manoeuvres at Gate 2, and never looked back.
Switzerland’s Skipper Nicolai Sehested guided his crew through a chaotic field, finishing in 7 minutes 58 seconds. It was Denmark’s first win in some time, and a much-needed boost as the team look to carry momentum into Season Six.
“This was a brilliant start and a brilliant first manoeuvre,” the commentary noted. “They’ve just done the basics right from there.”
New Zealand fight back
For the Black Foils, Race 2 was all about redemption. After being trapped at the back in Race 1, Peter Burling and his crew found space, stayed foiling through the chop, and clawed their way into contention.
Encouragement could be heard from Blair Tuke as new flight controller Leo Takahashi battled the “trickiest track on the circuit.” The Kiwis’ gamble on the right-hand side paid off, and they crossed in 8 minutes 59 seconds — a critical second place that keeps their season alive.
“It’s a massive relief,” one commentator said. “After their disastrous first race, they’ve bounced back strongly.”
Home crowd roar
The loudest cheer of the day came when Spain’s Los Gallos secured third place in 9:24. After finishing last in Race 1, Diego Botín’s crew made the simple left-hand choices that others missed, holding their foils and thrilling the Cádiz crowd.
“Wheels back on the bus,” was how the commentary summed up Spain’s turnaround.
Mid-fleet battles
Behind the podium, Germany held on for fourth (9:39), continuing their upward curve. Emirates GBR, winners of Race 1, came home fifth (9:52), maintaining a strong overall position.
France took sixth, while Brazil showed blistering straight-line pace — clocking the highest top speed of the fleet at over 60 km/h — but slipped to seventh overall. Switzerland, Canada, and Italy filled out the mid-to-lower order.
Big names stumble again
For Australia and the USA, Cádiz is fast becoming a nightmare.
Tom Slingsby’s Flying Roos were caught in traffic, unable to find clear air, and trailed home 11th in 11:55. At one point, the usually decisive Slingsby was heard saying, “I don’t know where to go” — a telling indicator of how unsettled the team felt.
The USA fared no better. After a promising start, Taylor Canfield’s crew fell off the foils and limped to last place in 12:44.
After two races, Emirates GBR still lead the event with a 1st and a 5th, but the story of Race 2 was Denmark’s resurgence and New Zealand’s recovery. Spain’s podium keeps them in the mix, while Australia and the USA now face an uphill climb to salvage their weekend.
The Cádiz course once again proved ruthless. With short chop, light winds, and tight margins, every mistake costs dearly — and no team, no matter their ranking, can afford to let their guard down.
Fleet Race 2 results
- ROCKWOOL Racing (Denmark), 10 pts
- Black Foils, 9 pts
- Los Gallos (Spain), 8 pts
- Germany by Deutsche Bank, 7 pts
- Emirates GBR, 6 pts
- France, 5 pts
- Mubadala Brazil, 4 pts
- NorthStar (Canada), 3 pts
- Switzerland, 2 pts
- Red Bull Italy, 1 pts
- United States, 0 pts
- BONDS Flying Roos, 0 pts
