SailGP commentator Stevie Morrison set the tone for this weekend's Sydney summit when he described the slow motion races as having the "intensity and excitement of curling". The former 49er world champion hit the nail on the head, as successful starts and precise positioning on the course were required in the doldrums of Sydney Harbour. In addition, the often agonisingly slow seal through the water meant fighting for every metre on foils.
Ambivalent pleasure in calm winds
This was best achieved this weekend in the very light and unstable winds the US team led by former match race world champion Taylor Canfield. The Americans ended a long dry spell with their event victory. It was the team's first event win since their Cadiz success in season four. For their driver, it is the first triumph in the Sailing World League. "It's an incredible feeling," said Taylor Canfield.
The US team was able to defeat the reigning British SailGP champions around driver Dylan Fletcher in the final. Although they had their bows slightly ahead at the start of the decisive race, they were overtaken by the Americans at the first mark. As the race progressed, Canfield and Co. never relinquished the lead, extended their advantage and crossed the finish line as winners. The driver then drank the champagne "Australian style" from his own sailing shoe.
"It was just so difficult today, especially with this really weak wind. We couldn't foil at all in the first two races on the final day. Then a bit in the final. It feels like you've 'survived' the day. We somehow managed that. We reached the final and came second," said Emirates GBR strategist Hannah Mills, summarising the ambivalent pleasure.
Team Germany with starting problems
The Brits were denied their second event win of the new season after their Perth success as a belated birthday present for Hannah Mills, who was born on 29 February 1988, in Sydney. Click here for the Sydney results. Nevertheless, the British champions of 2025 moved up in the SailGP season ranking moved up to first place with 28 points. Australia's Bonds Flying Roos (25 points) are now in second place ahead of the strengthened US team and France's DS Team France (both 20 points), who are in third place after the dramatic crash with New Zealand's Black Foils like the Kiwis in Sydney.
Team Germany, on the other hand, dropped back to ninth place in the table with eighth place in Sydney after three of 13 events in the new season. Coach Lennart Briesenick had already said at half-time: "In conditions like these, our share of success is very much down to the start. We didn't get it right on the board in three out of four races." On the second day, Black-Red-Gold only managed better starts in some cases. Another second place showed what is possible in the German racing team's rollercoaster results of 8, 9, 9, 2, 9, 2 and 7.
The starts were really crucial. On a short course, it's very difficult to fight your way back to the front if you don't get off to a good start." Erik Kosegarten-Heil
Helmsman Erik Kosegarten-Heil had also identified the starts as an Achilles heel in the German game, saying after the three fleet races on the final day: "We had one start that didn't go our way and another where we were a bit unlucky at the start line in the last race. We got into trouble with the Canadians in the first race, but then had a strong second race and a solid third. Overall it felt okay. Nothing spectacular, but consistent enough to score some important points in the overall standings."
Another Olympic venue: from Sydney to Rio for the SailGP premiere
Erik Kosegarten-Heil's assessment of the weekend was correspondingly critical: "So we're leaving Sydney with mixed feelings. There are definitely things we can take away with us and learn from. We are really looking forward to Rio. We've spent four years there preparing for the Games, so it's a special place for us. The atmosphere is always incredible - the people, the energy - Rio creates something unique."
In 2016, Erik Kosegarten-Heil won his first of two Olympic bronze medals with Thomas Plößel in Rio. He will never forget that time and is very familiar with the area of Guanabara Bay at the foot of Sugar Loaf Mountain. The Rio premiere, which was cancelled last year, will take place in just over five weeks on 11 and 12 April.
In Rio de Janeiro, fans are eagerly awaiting the performance of the only female racer in the SailGP and her team Mubadala Brazil: Double Olympic champion Martine Grael has been a star in her home country since winning her first Olympic gold in the 49erFX with Kahena Kunze in 2016. The 35-year-old from Rio de Janeiro said: "Those were unforgettable days with family, friends and fans. Now we are looking forward to finally being able to sail at home in the SailGP."
Sailing in Guanabara Bay with the fans behind you will be fantastic!" Martine Grael
Australia's top favourites, the Bonds Flying Roos around driver Tom Slingsby, finished their home game in Sydney disappointed. Fifth after seven races, the Australians, known as strong wind lovers, missed out on a place in the top three final. After their most recent event victory in Auckland, their wild swings in the results with 1st, 8th, 6th, 1st, 6th, 6th and 10th places had resulted in more of a rollercoaster ride through the rankings, but not the home victory they were clearly aiming for.
It was tough out there. I grew up racing on Sydney Harbour, but it was a very bumpy course." Tom Slingsby, three-time SailGP record winner
The fact that the Americans achieved the highest speed of 46.16 km/h this weekend, just about twice the speed of a fast curling stone, describes the lack of wind in Sydney well. The SailGP speed record has been held by the Danish team Rockwool Racing at 103.93 km/h since the Sassnitz premiere in summer 2025. The next chance to set a Sassnitz record will come on 22 and 23 August, when the Sailing World League will return to Rügen for the second time with event nine of the sixth season. Click here for the SailGP event calendar.
Here it goes after the English-language live programme in the early morning to the German-language ZDF broadcast of the SailGP final in Sydney with commentator Nils Kaben. And this is what the team drivers had to say about the race weekend Down Under:
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
