SailGP: Hungry for the new year - Sebastian Vettel's Team Germany first high, then flop

It's half-time at the SailGP in Abu Dhabi. And half-time of the 2023/2024 season. At the seventh of 13 regatta summits in the professional series on fast F50 catamarans, the Germany SailGP Team, the latest newcomer to the concert of sailing superpowers, got off to a good start. After two races with 6th and 5th places, Erik Heil and the crew on the German boat were initially in a promising sixth place.

The team thus confirmed their remarkably good training results from the previous day in the test of strength with the huge 29-metre wings. However, disillusionment followed in the third day of the race: the Germany SailGP team only finished tenth and slipped back to ninth place in the Abu Dhabi intermediate classification.

It feels like an Olympic race out here" (Erik Heil)

But first things first: In race one, the German team followed up a penalty start and a quick recovery with a successful chase that led to sixth place - a strong result in the Germans' debut season. In race two, Erik Heil, wing trimmer Stuart Bithell and their crew even impressed in fifth place with a top start, good tactics and plenty of fighting spirit. "It feels like Olympic racing out here," commented Erik Heil on the hard-fought short races in light winds.

The German team's high-flying performance, which suddenly saw them close to the top ranks, was followed by a setback in the third race on this first of two days of racing at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix. Possibly tempted by the good results in the first two races, Erik Heil and his team wanted to try their luck from the second row at the start of the third race. "The third start was another risk," said Erik Heil shortly after the race, "of course it could have gone well, but no gap opened up. We were logged in and couldn't join the fleet."

Team Germany risks too much at the start

The hoped-for gap did not open up for the push through at a higher speed. On the defensive from the start, the Germany SailGP Team was able to advance to seventh place in the third heat, but then fell back again and was overtaken by France in the duel for ninth place on the last few metres to the finish.

Despite some brilliant performances, Team Germany only finished ninth in the intermediate classification for the first day in Abu Dhabi. The racing team of Sebastian Vettel and Thomas Riedel are tied on points with the British team and their new helmsman Giles Scott ahead of the final day on 14 January.

Sir Ainslie's boots are big ...

The two-time Finn Olympic champion from Great Britain thus took over from superstar Sir Ben Ainslie at the helm for Team Emirates GBR with only moderate success at first. Giles Scott's first daily result as a SailGP driver was consistent in the very light winds of around ten kilometres per hour with three seventh places, but not yet top.

After three of five fleet races up to the final of the top three on Sunday, the Spaniards, who performed outstandingly on Saturday off Abu Dhabi, have taken the lead. Helmsman Diego Botín, his wing trimmer Florian Trittel and their team quickly made them forget their last place at the start with two convincing race wins.

It was a lot of fun sailing the boats in these conditions. Vamos!" (Florian Trittel)

Florian Trittel said: "Of course we are happy with two wins. We worked hard for this result. The basis for our success was good starts in the last two races. Things are starting to roll. It was quite fun to sail the boats in these conditions. Vamos!"

America's Cup defender Peter Burling and his Kiwis also experienced such a lift ride through the rankings. They had opened the first SailGP regatta day of the new year with a race win before having to be satisfied with 10th and 7th place. In the overall standings, they finished second in the intermediate classification ahead of the Americans, Canadians and French.

Papa Slingsby will have to stretch himself if he wants to reach the final in his comeback

SailGP dominator Tom Slingsby and the Australians were initially unable to finish higher than sixth after three races in Saturday's doldrums on their regular driver's comeback from maternity leave. The three-time SailGP season winners from Down Under will have to work hard in the remaining two fleet races on Sunday if they want to reach the final of the top three teams, which has already become a very distant prospect for Team Germany.

Day 1 of the SailGP in Abu Dhabi in Re-Live: