First session invalidated in the sixth stage of the international circuit reserved for F.50s. The Australians forced to repair the boat. Then we start again and the leaders triumph. Little luck for Red Bull Italy, seventh in the standings after a sixth, a third and a retirement due to a collision
The sailing world learned something new at the Mudabala New York Sail Grand Prix, the sixth stop on the international F.50 circuit. If the wind speed reaches 50 km/h in the port of the Big Apple, hauling with cranes must be stopped immediately. And in fact they shouldn’t even start if the National Weather Service predicts wind speeds could exceed the threshold. Thus, on the first day it was impossible to put all twelve boats in the water: only four went down and the SailGP managers decided not to consider the session valid. In order not to disappoint the thousands of fans sitting in the stands and the television audience, the SailGP organizers have scheduled three regattas with powerful winds and strong gusts. For the record, one of the F.50s also got stuck in the water: Bonds Flying Roots, the leader of the circuit, who hit the hulls hard in a wave, immediately retreating to repair the boat.
Evidently, the Australian team lives in a state of grace because in the three races of the second day, characterized by good but not gusty winds, they risked not entering the final reserved for the best three, finishing on equal points with the hosts of Taylor Canfield’s US SailGP Team, who however lost out in the third race. Thus, the Aussies led by Tom Slingsby – who will lead his nation’s challenge to the America’s Cup – found themselves in the final match with the Canadians of Northstar – at the top for the first time – and the usual British of Emirates GBR. Bonds Flying Roots didn’t do anything wrong in the final rush and here he is again on the top step of the podium, bringing his lead in the international circuit standings to 11 points: 55 against the 44 of Dylan Fletcher’s Emirates GBR and the 38 of the US team.
RED BULL ITALY
—
Little luck for Red Bull Italy, seventh in the standings after a sixth, a third and a retirement due to an (unintentional) collision with the Brazilian boat. Justified regret for New Zealander Phil Robertson and his boys because this time they saw the possibility of finally getting into the top three of an event. In the rankings, Red Bull Italy is in tenth place, always with the feeling of having more potential but for now it has not materialized. SailGP remains in North America: the next stop will take place in Halifax, on 20 and 21 June.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
