Emirates GBR produced a flawless performance in the Perth SailGP Event Final, controlling the race from the gun and opening the 2026 season with a commanding victory, just six weeks after sealing the 2025 SailGP championship.
The Bonds Flying Roos took second, and the French came in last in the final for 3rd.
In a final reduced to three after a bruising weekend of penalties, collisions and attrition, Emirates GBR left nothing to chance. From the final approach to the line, Dylan Fletcher’s crew executed with calm precision, hitting the start perfectly and immediately establishing control at Mark 1. Emirates GBR rounded the opening mark first, a position they would not relinquish.
Behind them, DS Team France and Bonds Flying Roos were locked in a tense battle for position, but neither could disrupt the British rhythm. The short, choppy Fremantle sea state continued to punish even small errors, and while France pushed aggressively through the middle legs, the British boat extended its advantage with every manoeuvre.
By the midpoint of the race, the gap was decisive. Emirates GBR stretched hundreds of metres clear, with uninterrupted foiling and clean gate roundings. There was a total absence of mistakes, a rare feat in conditions that had undone much of the fleet across the weekend.
France remained second for most of the final, but late instability and an extra manoeuvre allowed Australia to close. The closing sprint delivered a dramatic final minutes, but Emirates GBR were already gone, crossing the line unchallenged to claim the first event trophy of the 2026 SailGP season.
The victory capped a remarkable turnaround weekend for the British team. After sitting outside the early headlines on Saturday, Emirates GBR surged on Super Sunday, winning Races 5 and 6, finishing fourth in Race 7 to secure a final berth, then delivering a clinical performance when it mattered most.
With New Zealand Black Foils sidelined following Saturday’s collision and Switzerland returning but missing the final cut, Perth belonged to the teams that combined speed with discipline. No team embodied that better than Emirates GBR.
The message to the rest of the fleet is clear. The defending champions have carried their 2025 form straight into 2026, and in Perth, they looked untouchable.
Event result
| Pos | Team | Driver | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emirates GBR | Dylan Fletcher | 61 pts |
| 2 | BONDS Flying Roos | Tom Slingsby | 57 pts |
| 3 | DS Team France | Quentin Delapierre | 63 pts |
