SailGP: European Football Championships, Wimbledon, golf and SailGP - the day Spain stormed the sporting world
Tatjana Pokorny
· 15.07.2024
Four times gold on the world's sporting stages - in just one day! First Carlos Alcaraz won on the green grass at Wimbledon. In Spain, Sergio Garcia won the Liv Golf Andalusia professional tournament. In Berlin, the Iberians crowned themselves European football champions in front of their King Felipe and his children. And in the end, the red-yellow-reds were not inferior to their compatriots in the SailGP: Diego Botin and his team let it rip in the grand final of the SailGP in San Francisco. They fought their way into the two million US dollar final, leaving the top favourites New Zealanders and Australians in the dust and scooping the highest prize money in sailing.
They say that all good things come in threes. But for Spain today it's four out of four" (Diego Botin)
"I can hardly find words, I can hardly believe that we managed to do this on this day, as Spain has won four major victories in international sport," said 30-year-old helmsman Diego Botin. The SailGP organisers call Los Gallos' coup between Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge a "Spanish fairytale of Cinderella". They say all good things come in threes, but for Spain today it's four out of four: Los Gallos won their first SailGP championship title, adding to their major victories at Euro 2024, the Wimbledon final and Liv Golf on a sporting Sunday that the Spanish won't forget in a hurry."
A strong start to the SailGP triumph
As is so often the case, the preliminary decision in the SailGP championship final was made at the start line, which driver Diego Botin mastered perfectly in the all-important final race. His team impressed with a start-to-finish victory. In the high-calibre test of strength with the three-time Australian season winners around Tom Slingsby and New Zealand's America's Cup dominators around superstar Peter Burling, the Spaniards did not show the pressure they were under in the race of their lives.
After the sensation in San Francisco, Diego Botin said: "Beating the Kiwis and the Australians in the grand final here in San Francisco is incredible. We are over the moon. It was hard work. We've been through a lot in this league - last season we were bottom of the table, and lo and behold - this season we're winning! I think we have a great team; let's see if we can stick together and keep the ball rolling."
We've done thousands of turns this week and nothing has ever happened. and then it happened today in the last $2 million race" (Tom Slingsby)
The Australians were hot on the Spaniards' heels for almost the entire final race. They only had to let go after technical problems. Three-time Australian SailGP season winner, Laser Olympic champion and America's Cup winner Tom Slingsby spoke of pure bad luck after the race: "It was a normal tack, but somehow the foil came loose from the lock. We've done thousands of tacks this week and nothing has ever happened, and then it happened today in the last 2 million dollar race. What do you do? It's just unfortunate."
The Australians had previously been the only team to win more than one of the five fleet races up to the grand final. The Flying Roos had thus demonstrated their usual strength in the always pressurised San Francisco area. They won the event again this time. But not the eagerly awaited final of the season's top three teams, for which the Kiwis, who led the standings after a total of 13 events in 2023 and 2024, and the Spaniards, who were third in the standings, had also qualified.
France's SailGP final hopes bitterly dashed
Tom Slingsby continued his analysis, saying: "Honestly, the team sailed as well as they have ever sailed today. We had this mentality throughout the race, even when we were behind, and I'm so proud of this team and the way they sailed. I feel honoured to be a part of it."
However, the outstanding performance of the Spanish team in the final may have silenced some critics after weeks of speculation about the future of Botin and Co. in the SailGP World League. She may have drawn attention to herself in order to save the team from going out of business in November. The league had announced that among the teams from Canada, France, Spain and New Zealand, one is likely to have to leave the league at the start of its fifth season in November.
The thrilling final was not the only drama on this historic championship Sunday. The preceding Fleetraces 4 and 5 also had it all. France's elimination marked the dramatic climax. Quentin Delapierre and his Les Bleus - with hopes of reaching the grand final after strong performances on Saturday - had come dangerously close to the Danes in race four and were eliminated after their last-minute manoeuvre with a broken rudder and an additional penalty of twelve event points (eight season points).
Sometimes it's better to stay at home. I think today was one of those days" (Quentin Delapierre)
Driver Quentin Delapierre was bitterly disappointed, saying: "Sometimes it's better to stay at home. I think today was one of those days. I just didn't see the Danes at the last turn and we collided with them. We didn't finish the job and that's really painful for everyone on board at the moment. But I'm incredibly proud of what the team has achieved. I don't think the overall standings show what we've achieved this season, especially here where we had such an incredible Saturday."
Setback for the Kiwis on course for the America's Cup
On the Saturday before the Super Sunday, the French had shocked the competition and above all the Spanish in the duel for the third and last ticket to the final with brilliant starts, a race win and two third places in the concert of sailing superpowers. On Sunday night, it was still the French who had one foot in the two million US dollar final. But then the mishap in race four shattered their dreams.
Although the New Zealand team was in top form throughout the season and showed their class by winning five of the 13 SailGP summits, in the end it wasn't enough to take the crown in the grand finale. Driver Peter Burling said: "We're all feeling the pain at the moment, but we're really proud of the way the team approached it. We'll collect ourselves, reflect on it and come back with momentum next season." Before that, the Kiwis will be challenged at another major sailing summit: They will be defending the America's Cup in Barcelona in October.
Vettel's SailGP Team Germany takes stock optimistically
For the Germany SailGP team of Thomas Riedel and four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel, the inaugural season ended with eighth place in San Francisco and ninth place in the season ranking of the ten SailGP teams. Driver Erik Heil from Strande near Kiel said: "Our last attack didn't end so well after all the situations we had. But overall we also got pretty good feedback from all the other teams. We left an extremely good impression and can go into the preparations for next season with the right to continue competing."
Erik Heil said of the final: "We had slight technical problems in the last race, got a bit out of rhythm, but at least we were able to leave two other teams behind us. My day was then saved by Diego. I watched the race from the mixed zone. It was just awesome! I then went over to the Spaniards and sat down in the pits with their coach. We waited for them together. It's great that the spell has been broken and that we have Diego as a SailGP winner for once. Hopefully he can add a nice medal to that."
Erik Heil is referring to the Olympic regatta in Marseille starting on 28 July, where Diego Botin and his 49er foresailor and SailGP ace Florian Trittel are among the co-favourites in the battle for precious metal. For many years, the Spaniards were the trusted sparring partners and friends of the German 49er duo Erik Heil and Thomas Plößel, who won bronze twice at the 2016 and 2021 Olympic Games, while Botin has so far come away empty-handed, finishing fourth in Japan.
All in all, it was a positive season in all our minds" (Erik Heil)
In San Francisco, the German team shared the camp and its tent with the Spaniards. "I think it's going to be a long evening," said Erik Heil shortly after the thrilling final. Summing up the team's debut season under the German flag, Erik Heil said: "Overall, it was a positive season in all our minds. We fulfilled our goals in terms of content. We were able to slightly exceed what we had realistically planned. You have to be satisfied with that. The motto is: keep going! We have to continue to catch up quickly so that we can attack well in the coming years."
German team travelling with a broken foil
It was only when the German F50 foiler was craned out on Monday night that it became clear that the German team had been struggling with speed problems on the final day, and not without good reason. Erik Heil reported early Monday morning: "Unfortunately we had a broken foil. Now we also have an explanation as to why we couldn't maintain our speed on the straight lines."
Overall, the ranking doesn't reflect what we're really capable of. But you always have to bear in mind that we are still new to the league" (Lennart Briesenick)
Coach Lennart Briesenick has a positive view of the races in which the Germany SailGP Team, the latest addition to the league, was in action for the first time on Saturday with the small wings, which are used in the World League when there is more wind. Lennart Briesenick said: "This was our first time with the small wing and I am really impressed with how well the team was able to put the theoretical instruction into practice. Overall, the ranking does not reflect what we are really capable of. But you always have to bear in mind that we are still new to the league. Spain is only in its second season and showed impressively today that it is possible to close the gap to the experienced SailGP teams. In our next season, we hope to be able to race further up the field."
With a view to the 2024/25 season, SailGP has confirmed that the teams will be allowed to train at two pre-season training camps for the first time. Teams from Germany, Denmark and the USA will be admitted to the first three-week intensive training camp in Bermuda. In October, all SailGP teams will then have the opportunity to take part before the event in Dubai. The 2024/2025 season will kick off with the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas on 23 and 24 November 2024 after the end of the America's Cup begin.
