Black Foils overcome slow starts
Kiwi SailGP crew well placed to challenge for podium race
The Black Foils are on the bubble. On the opening day of the latest SailGP event in Bermuda, recovering from slow starts was the narrative of the day for the New Zealand team, who were fourth after the opening three races.
Peter Burling and the Kiwi crew came into the weekend with a cosy nine-point lead at the top of the season leaderboard but are hoping to push that out even further over the remaining four regattas before the three-boat grand final shootout which closes out the San Francisco event in July.
A reduced fleet was competing yesterday, with the United States ruled out of the weekend after capsizing in practice racing on Saturday and suffering damage to their vessel.
The team had hoped the tech crew on site could repair their boat and have them back on the start line but that proved wishful thinking as their wingsail took the brunt of the damage.
“While thankfully our athletes are all okay, there was significant damage to the F50,” US team chief executive Mike Buckley said.
“Unfortunately it is not repairable in time for us to get back on the water for racing here in Bermuda.
“We are extremely disappointed. We will learn from this and are looking forward to being back on the water in Halifax.”
That saw the weekend reduced to a nine-boat fleet, with the Black Foils posting a third, fourth and fifth from the opening day’s racing. Australia topped the event leaderboard on 28 points with two wins and a third, ahead of Canada on 23 points, while Denmark and New Zealand were on 22. Denmark finished ahead of the Black Foils in the day’s final race, so held third heading into the event’s second day.
Troubles in the starting box started early for Peter Burling, when an aggressive move from his fellow Team New Zealand America’s Cup helmsman Nathan Outteridge, driving for the Swiss in SailGP, pinned the New Zealand boat on the outside of the course.
The Black Foils wound up in seventh around the first marker but quickly made their way through the fleet to be in contention for a podium finish.
They looked set to close out second behind Australia but a crafty slingshot move by Canada around the final marker saw the New Zealanders forced to settle for third.
The second and third races followed a similar script, with the Black Foils getting over the start line towards the back of the fleet and having to fight their way forward. But again they did so, finishing both races fourth to close out a solid day of results and remain in contention.
The teams were to compete in two more fleet races early this morning before the top three teams on the event leaderboard contested the podium race.