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The SailGP as a guest in AndalusiaAfter a series of capsizes by the competition: Australia wins in Cádiz

Tatjana Pokorny

 · 10.10.2021

The SailGP as a guest in Andalusia: After a series of capsizes by the competition: Australia wins in CádizPhoto: Bob Martin for SailGP
The dream of victory in Cádiz is over: Sir Ben Ainslie's Brits roll over. The team was uninjured in the accident, which occurred at a speed of around 70 kilometres per hour. The crew had been unable to parry a heavy gust. The Americans behind them, led by Jimmy Spithill, were able to prevent the collision with the Brits with a last-minute manoeuvre, but were unable to drop off at the mark. They first had to sail further upwind until they could get back on the correct downwind course. By then, the Australians were long gone...
The Brits capsized in the final, the Spanish F50 is badly damaged, and Tom Slingsby's Australians have regained the lead in the season standings

There was a lot of breakage in the F50 bullets in the SailGP this weekend. The best news is that the sailors were uninjured. Once again it was clear how dangerous sailing can be at this level. The sailing spectacle in the Andalusian waters off Cádiz was won by Tom Slingsby's Australians. They sailed furiously and also benefited from the misfortunes of their competitors.

Winner's party in front of a big backdrop: America's Cup winner, Olympic gold medallist and Moth World Champion Tom Slingsby and his Australian team celebrate their SailGP victory in CádizPhoto: SailGPWinner's party in front of a big backdrop: America's Cup winner, Olympic gold medallist and Moth World Champion Tom Slingsby and his Australian team celebrate their SailGP victory in CádizThe Andalusian city of Cádiz promoted and celebrated the SailGP off its own coast throughout the city. There was a lot of sailing enthusiasm for the world's best-attended professional seriesPhoto: SailGPThe Andalusian city of Cádiz promoted and celebrated the SailGP off its own coast throughout the city. There was a lot of sailing enthusiasm for the world's best-attended professional series

After a spectacular opening day, which the host Spaniards opened ideally with their first race win in the SailGP in front of enthusiastic crowds of fans, the home team experienced a black Sunday. 80 minutes before the first start on the final day, Phil Robertson's crew capsized. While the crew escaped with a scare, the wing sail of the F50 catamaran was so badly damaged that the Spaniards were unable to finish the regatta in front of around 11,000 enthusiastic spectators and the Spanish King Felipe VI. Sailing and battling under the Spanish flag as Kiwi and Match Race World Champion, Phil Robertson said: "We started today with the support of the country and the fans here in Cadiz. We thought we could achieve something big and we quite enjoyed the windy conditions. It's going to be a steep road for us from now on, but we are competitive. So we just have to give it our best shot."

The bitter end for the self-confident Spanish favourites in front of their home crowd: when their F50 catamaran was righted again after capsizing before the start of the race, the full extent of the damage to the 24-metre-high wing sail became apparentPhoto: SailGPThe bitter end for the self-confident Spanish favourites in front of their home crowd: when their F50 catamaran was righted again after capsizing before the start of the race, the full extent of the damage to the 24-metre-high wing sail became apparentSailing on impossible: The Spanish team's wing sail was so badly damaged in a capsize before the start of the second day of racing that Phil Robertson and his team were out of the gamePhoto: SailGPSailing on impossible: The Spanish team's wing sail was so badly damaged in a capsize before the start of the second day of racing that Phil Robertson and his team were out of the game
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At the end of the two intensive regatta days, it was once again the SailGP giants Australia with Tom Slingsby, Great Britain with Sir Ben Ainslie and the USA with Jimmy Spithill who prevailed in the battle for a place in the triple final. The start was won by four-time Olympic champion Sir Ben Ainslie and his "Brit Band". All three foiling catamarans raced around the course in crisp winds with the Union Jack in their sails. The English enjoyed this until they shared their fate with the Spaniards and also capsized. They were also uninjured, but were no longer able to play a part in the final. The capsize also slowed down the Americans, who were directly behind them, through no fault of their own, but the SailGP rules have no mercy here. The Australians sailed away unchallenged, won the Spanish Sail Grand Prix and regained the lead in the season standings, which they had lost just a few weeks ago at the SailGP in France with a sobering eighth and last place.

The SailGP course was always as close as this scene between Australia and Great BritainPhoto: SailGPThe SailGP course was always as close as this scene between Australia and Great BritainThe capsize of the British team dashed their hopes of victory in the finalPhoto: Ricardo Pinto for SailGPThe capsize of the British team dashed their hopes of victory in the final

Spithill's US crew took second place in the season standings with the same position at the Spanish summit. The Brits' third place off Cádiz did not take them beyond fourth place in the season standings, where Nathan Outterridge and the Japanese team occupy third place. New Zealand's SailGP newcomers Peter Burling and his Kiwis improved to fifth place in Andalusia, which puts them in the same position in the interim standings after six of the eight SailGP regattas this season. Just one point behind them, the Spaniards, who finished unluckily in penultimate place on their home turf, lurk in sixth place ahead of Denmark and France. Even with their new helmsman Quentin Delapierre, the French were initially unable to make up any ground.

The Sail Grand Prix will continue just before Christmas on 17 and 18 December in Sydney. The fantastic final for one million US dollars will take place on 26 and 27 March 2022 in San Francisco. Click here for the season ranking and the results of the individual regattas (please click!).

Tatjana Pokorny

Tatjana Pokorny

Sports reporter

Tatjana “tati” Pokorny is the author of nine books. As a reporter for Europe's leading sailing magazine YACHT, she also works as a correspondent for the German Press Agency (DPA), the Hamburger Abendblatt and other national and international media. In summer 2024, Tatjana will be reporting from Marseille on her ninth consecutive Olympic Games. Other core topics have been the America's Cup since 1992, the Ocean Race since 1993, the Vendée Globe and other national and international regattas and their protagonists. Favorite discipline: Portraits of and interviews with sailing personalities. When she started out in sports journalism, she was still intensively involved with basketball and other sports, but sailing quickly became her main focus. The reason? The declared optimist says: “There is no other sport like it, no other sport with such interesting and intelligent personalities, no other sport so diverse, no other sport so full of energy, strength and ideas. Sailing is like a constantly refreshing declaration of love for life."

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