The Abu Dhabi Grand Final opened in barely enough breeze to move a boat. Across all four races, the fleet managed only 1.6% foiling time, which tells you everything about the conditions. Most of the afternoon was spent coaxing boats through dead patches, trying to keep the bows clear and watching for the faintest pressure line across the harbour.
It wasn’t fast, but it was absorbing sailing. With no altitude to hide behind, every mistake costs metres.
SailGP Abu Dhabi Day 1, Race 1: Germany strike first as light winds shake the fleet
Denmark set the pace
No one handled the sticky conditions better than ROCKWOOL Denmark. From the first start they looked calm and measured, and by the end of the day they were the standout performers in the whole fleet.
Their card reads:
- Race 1: 3rd
- Race 2: 1st
- Race 3: 1st
- Race 4: 2nd
In conditions where many teams slid backwards with each shift or boundary touch, Denmark kept their boat moving. They avoided trouble, stayed patient, and simply out-sailed everyone around them.
SailGP Abu Dhabi Day 1, Race 2: Denmark take control as France hit back
Switzerland and Brazil keep the pressure on
Behind the Danes, Switzerland put in one of their best days of the season. They were tidy around the marks, stayed out of the protest traffic, and finished the afternoon with a composed win in Race 4.
Mubadala Brazil also sailed with purpose. They weren’t flashy, but they kept banking solid results while others tripped over penalties or died in the lulls. The consistency paid off and they head into Day Two in the top group.
After four races, the event order sits at Denmark, Switzerland, and Brazil.
Black Foils fight through a scrappy day
New Zealand never found a clean lane for long. Each race brought another small setback, and Race 3 in particular was shaped by multiple penalties that dropped them to the back of the pack.
Their results across the day:
- Race 1: 7th
- Race 2: 5th
- Race 3: 11th
- Race 4: 6th
It wasn’t the day they wanted, but it wasn’t a collapse either. The Black Foils have made a habit of doing just enough during the fleet races to reach the final, then lifting when it matters. They’ll need that approach again tomorrow.
For now, they sit eighth on the event leaderboard.
SailGP Abu Dhabi Day 1, Race 3: Denmark seals a masterclass in light air
Italy show signs of life
With Kiwi Phil Robertson now steering, Red Bull Italy look sharper already. Their boat handling was cleaner than we’ve seen in recent rounds, and they ended the day fourth overall.
A small sample size, but a welcome shift for a team that needed one.
Tomorrow: same weather, higher stakes
Sunday’s forecast looks almost identical to today’s. Light, patchy, frustrating breeze. More drifting than flying. But the stakes tomorrow dwarf anything we saw on the water today.
Still to come:
- Three more fleet races
- The 2025 season Grand Final
- US$2 million for the overall season winner
- US$800,000 for the Abu Dhabi event winner alone
SailGP Abu Dhabi Day 1, Race 4: Switzerland handle the pressure as penalties reshape the fleet
The whole championship will be decided in conditions that barely lift a telltale. One start, one mistake, one protest could swing the season.
For now, Denmark hold the advantage. Switzerland and Brazil are close enough to strike. New Zealand sit further back, but they’re still in the hunt if they can pull a clean set of races together.
Tomorrow we find out who collects the biggest payday in SailGP and who leaves wondering what might have been.
