SailGP skipper Slingsby’s youthful taunt backfires
If he could Australian skipper Tom Slingsby might want to take back his challenge to the young guns of the SailGP series after a forgettable opening day in Abu Dhabi for he and his team and some surprise results by rivals.
While the series-leading Australian team managed just one podium in the three races in ultralight conditions, young
Spanish Olympic sailor Diego Botin put together back-toback wins after a first race 10th.
It was a result which left the Spaniard leading the event heading into the final day and 2012 Olympic Laser gold medallist Slingsby and his team unexpectedly languishing back in the second half of the fleet in sixth place.
Just a day earlier Slingsby – almost a decade older than Botin – challenged the younger skippers of the series to make their mark after two of the oldest but most successful, James Spithill and Ben Ainslie, stepped down from the racing
“To be frankly honest, I think a lot of the younger generation haven’t stepped up to the plate as much as they could have and they’ve got to prove it,’’ Spithill said when asked about a potential changing of the guard.
“Jimmy and Ben are in their mid 40s and were still winning
SailGP events consistently and most of the new, young generation driving in our league haven’t won an event in SailGP.’
“When you’re the next generation, you’ve got to prove why you’re the best in the world and knock us old guys off the perch.
“The new guys have the opportunity, they’re out there and have a boat to drive in SailGP, the top sailing league in the world, and they’ve got to take that opportunity with both hands or they’ll be replaced.”
Botin appears to have taken Slingsby’s words to heart and now leads heading into day two.
The Australian recorded a 2-9-6 scorecard and need a big performance on day two to make the three-boat final.
Slingsby and his team went into Abu Dhabi ahead by 11 points on the overall pointscore.