Australia’s Tom Slingsby led his team to a strong performance on the first day of the Switzerland Sail Grand Prix, securing the top position with a total of 25 points after three races. The team finished fourth in the first fleet race, clinched a decisive victory in the second, and rounded off the day with a third-place finish, putting them two points ahead of the British team.
The day’s racing was marked by challenging conditions, prompting organizers to cancel the fourth and final fleet race due to insufficient wind. Despite the obstacles, Slingsby expressed satisfaction with the team’s overall performance heading into the final day of competition. “Results wise, it went as well as it could have,” Slingsby told The Athletic.
Challenges on the Water
Slingsby acknowledged that the team faced difficulties, including mistakes made during the starts. “In one of them, we sort of broke the starboard, which was like an own goal with no other boats around,” he explained. The Australian team managed to overtake several competitors on the compact course, demonstrating skill in maintaining their speed on the foils and navigating around marks with minimal interference.
The British team, fresh off a recent victory in Saint-Tropez, showed resilience, securing second place overall. Driver Dylan Fletcher noted the unique challenges posed by racing with only three crew members instead of the usual six, stating, “When you are having to do three jobs, making the tactical decisions whilst also trying to sail the boat fast is where it becomes challenging.”
American Team Faces Disqualification
In contrast, the day was marred by disappointment for the United States team, which faced disqualification from the first race after nearly colliding with the Danish crew. Despite a fourth-place finish in the second race, they struggled in the third, finishing in twelfth place. “It’s super frustrating,” reflected Taylor Canfield of the American team. Canfield expressed regret over a tactical decision leading to the disqualification, emphasizing the importance of executing race strategies effectively.
As a precaution against inclement weather, the start time for Sunday’s races has been moved forward by 90 minutes, with the new schedule set to begin at 13:00 BST (08:00 ET). The upcoming races will be crucial as teams vie for positioning ahead of the winner-takes-all final.
The competition continues to draw attention, with teams from around the world striving for supremacy in what promises to be an exhilarating finale at the Switzerland Sail Grand Prix.
