PORTSMOUTH, England :Peter Burling’s New Zealand team gate-crashed what should have been a triumphant home celebration, pipping Dylan Fletcher’s British crew to victory in a nail-biting final at the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix on Sunday.
The Kiwis spoiled the party on the Solent, claiming their second event win of the season and third race victory of the weekend in a dramatic winner-takes-all showdown that left the packed Portsmouth shoreline deflated.
Perfect sailing conditions greeted the fleet, with a nice steady breeze providing ideal racing weather that allowed the high-speed F50 foiling catamarans to showcase their full potential as they approached speeds of 100 km/h across the water.
Fletcher’s Emirates GBR team had looked destined for glory after commanding the leaderboard following a dominant opening day, but were edged out at the line when it mattered most. The Olympic gold medallist was left rueing what might have been.
Switzerland added their own slice of history by reaching their first-ever SailGP final, though their fairytale run was cruelly cut short by technical gremlins that left them out of contention in the decider.
The day’s drama wasn’t confined to the final, with France bouncing back from their own technical woes to seize victory in Race 6 – but only after a farcical interruption when a rogue spectator boat invaded the course and forced a restart.
Twelve national teams had battled across seven fleet races for the coveted spots in the three-boat final, with Emirates GBR, New Zealand and Switzerland emerging from the pack as fans buzzed with anticipation along the shoreline.
The victory propelled New Zealand to the summit of the overall SailGP championship leaderboard with 54 points, nudging ahead of Australia (BONDS Flying Roos) on 52 points and Spain on 51. Britain’s wait for a home event victory continues, despite accumulating a long list of SailGP podiums around the world.
(Editing by Toby Davis)
