SailGP: America's Cup duel reloaded - Kiwis ahead of Brits, Team Germany wants more
Tatjana Pokorny
· 24.11.2024
Helmsmen Peter Burling and Dylan Fletcher have just competed for the "Auld Mug" in their 37th America's Cup duel. The result was the same as at the SailGP season opener on the fast F50 foils off Dubai: the Kiwis flew faster, more efficiently and more successfully both in Barcelona and on this SailGP weekend in the United Arab Emirates.
Kiwis stake claim to SailGP throne
With their victory in Dubai, Peter Burling, Blair Tuke and their New Zealand team with flight controller Leo Takahashi, who is just 25 years old, have staked their claim to the SailGP throne. After the Spaniards surprisingly took the 2023/2024 SailGP season championship, the New Zealanders clearly underlined where they want to be in the final standings in November 2025 right at the start of the fifth season.
"The group delivered a fantastic performance," said the usually reserved skipper of the "Black Foils", commenting euphorically on his team's performance. As the top team after five races in the triple final, the Kiwis around their helmsman Peter Burling had to fight in the light winds and fell behind a few times, but prevailed against their competitors from Great Britain and the USA in the end.
"Reaching the final as a new team at the weekend is one of the most difficult tasks in these light winds. We've really managed to get off to a great start this season," said Peter Burling, looking ahead to the challenges ahead. By the term "new", the now very experienced SailGP helmsman was referring to the Kiwis' new crew constellation.
One SailGP team is still missing
After the extremely light windy start on Saturday, the the field of eleven F50 catamarans more pressure on Sunday. The twelfth team from France is still waiting for its new boat and will start the season at the second event on 18 and 19 January. Les Bleus will be awarded an average score of five points for missing the season opener.
Dylan Fletcher and his British team Emirates GBR - closely watched on site by team owner and CEO Ben Ainslie - were delighted with their nine points for second place at the opening summit. Taylor Canfield and his US team secured eight points for third place.
The start of the season brought several positive results for the Germany SailGP team. The still young German SailGP team around driver Erik Heil was able to set some highlights with successful starts, a race victory and a remarkable catch-up race. The racing team of entrepreneur Thomas Riedel and four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel showed its potential.
Starting signal for the ZDF at the SailGP
ZDF was at the Dubai event for the first time this weekend. ZDF has agreed a two-year partnership with the SailGP and reported on a Sailing Super League regatta in a live stream for the first time. Commentator Nils Kaben, co-commentator Kristin Recke, reporter Alex Ruda and their teams on site and in Mainz were in action.
Confronted with start delays right at the beginning of both days and a somewhat bumpy start for the league picture suppliers, the participants grew with their tasks as quickly as the SailGP boats can once the wind gets going. It was fun to follow the broadcast focussing on the German team.
What pleased the experienced ZDF sailing expert Nils Kaben the most? "I was most impressed by the way the German team presented themselves, so empathetic, so willing to explain the complex sport. And of course the race win on Saturday, which showed what is possible for the German team," said Kaben.
Race starts from clear to cloudy
Repeated live interviews with helmsman Erik Heil and team members provided a good overview and exciting insights into the world of SailGP racing and the work of the German team that had never been seen before. Previously, ZDF had already presented the new SailGP commitment. with a documentary worth seeing heralded.
With individual results of 7, 1, 10, 10 and 5, Erik Heil's crew opened their fifth and second SailGP season with a shaky start. This was partly due to the starts ranging from clear to cloudy, but also to the poor wind conditions and the associated challenges, especially on the first of the two race days. This was compounded by small mistakes on the course, such as missing the chance to finish fifth instead of sixth in the final sprint of the last fleet race before the final.
The battle for the pecking order in season five has now begun. The Kiwis will be the hunted, with the British and other top teams in pursuit. This includes the defending Spanish champions and Tom Slingsby's Australians, who finished fourth and fifth in Dubai and missed out on the final.
Brazil and Italy have to work their way up
After a slightly rusty start, the Spaniards made a good and focussed impression with 8th, 6th, 3rd, 2nd and 4th place. Likewise the Australians with their series 3, 5, 1 and 4, before losing their place in the final fleet race with 10th place.
The new teams led by drivers Martine Grael (Mubadala Brazil) and Ruggero Tita (Red Bull Italy) knew beforehand that they would have to take a back seat in the high-calibre racing series, even with top players in the team. The confirmation came with the Dubai result. In the "rookie" duel between the newcomers, the Brazilians finished tenth and penultimate ahead of the tail-enders from Italy, scoring ten points - twice as many as the Azzurri.
Team Germany aims for the podium
Team Germany's eighth place doesn't sound great at first glance, but with some strong starts, the day's victory and the nice chase to catch up in the fifth and final fleet race, it raised hopes for more. Twelve to 13 events are still on the programme this season. The penultimate event in the Middle East at the beginning of November has not yet been confirmed.
The GER racing team would love to sail onto the podium for the first time this season with the historic first German highlight of the SailGP regatta off Sassnitz (16/17 August). "We are still missing a podium finish. We came close in our first season in New Zealand and Abu Dhabi and will be going full throttle again next time," announced Erik Heil, whose team will be staying in Dubai for a few more days of training.
The role model, Heil told ZDF, is the New Zealanders: "The Kiwis have the greatest finesse in sailing the boat. I hope we get there soon too." The comparison of foil times between New Zealand's event winners and the German eighth-placed team is a good example of the gaps that still need to be closed: The Kiwis were able to foil 70 per cent of the way around the race course in Dubai, Team Germany around 50 per cent.
The sequel follows in Auckland
Erik Heil commented on the GER foiler's continued race to catch up: "Anything is possible, just stay calm and get the speed in." After the light wind poker in Dubai, the fleet can expect more wind at the second event on 18 and 19 January in Auckland. Click here for the season ranking after the first SailGP summit.
