The Canadian team led by New Zealand helmsman Phil Robertson has made SailGP history and won a regatta in the one million US dollar professional series for the first time. In the New Zealand waters of Whakaraupō off Christchurch, the crew flying the Canadian flag prevailed in a bow-to-bow race against the favourites from New Zealand and the two-time SailGP season winners from Australia.
Sweet "home win" for Phil Robertson and Team Canada
In one of the closest finals of the season, the Canadians fought a thrilling battle with local heroes and America's Cup dominators Peter Burling, Blair Tuke and Co. with several lead changes. After a successful start by all three finalists, everything was initially wide open in the showdown, but Team Canada reached the first turning mark first and confidently continued the race with this advantage.
Although the Canadians subsequently fell off the foils once and received a penalty for exceeding the course limits, they were able to master the course faster than the upcoming Kiwis. Ten points were added to their season account in return. For the young Canadian team led by the ambitious and highly talented match racer Phil Robertson, it was a particularly sweet "home win", as Robertson comes from Auckland and was able to show America's Cup celebrities and his compatriots what he is made of on his home turf.
After the final, Phil Robertson said with a smile: "We did everything we could in between to let the Kiwis back into the game. But we managed to shake off our penalty and get to the finish quickly. So all's well that ends well. I'm obviously thrilled that we were able to win at home. I had my parents, my wife and my brothers here. It's the first win for Canada. We're fighting to be on par with the top teams. Today is an example of what we can be capable of."
Team Canada had only just made it into the classic triple final of the SailGP regattas in the fifth and final fleet race. Third place at the finish was enough to make it into the final because Sir Ben Ainslie's SailGP Team Emirates GBR only crossed the line in sixth position and therefore missed out on a place in the final race.
Although the season leaders and two-time SailGP season winners from Australia never posed a real threat to the Canadians and Kiwis in the final, they continue to lead the season championship standings with 84 points ahead of the grand finale on 6 and 7 May in San Francisco. New Zealand (73 points), France (69 points) and Team Emirates GBR (68 points) are also battling it out for a place in the showdown under the Golden Gate Bridge.
The decision as to which three teams will be allowed to compete in the one million US dollar final in San Francisco will be made at the fleet races in the American waters beforehand. The fact that the New Zealand regatta could be held with all nine boats is also thanks to the SailGP technical team, who did a formidable job after the previous regatta in Sydney. In Sydney, a so-called freak storm had hit the fleet hard on land and caused a lot of breakage. There was no sign of this in New Zealand.
Here are the highlights from the final in New Zealand, where "Pistol Pete" Burling and his Kiwis were beaten by a compatriot on home turf:
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
