Sail GP: team Australia wins again. Italy improves but is only sixth

If anyone is looking for strong thrills from aregatta, I really recommend going to see the SailGP trials that took place today in Auckland (actually tonight being NZ 12 hours ahead). These F50s are truly amazing and there is no shortage of incredible numbers during the races, especially with the strong winds that characterized the 2nd day of the leg, with boats touching speeds of 50 knots, F50s crossing each other in heart-pounding mode, crews moving like rockets from one side of the catamaran to the other, and some capsize hazards. In addition, the hulls were fitted for this leg with new T-shaped foils, which saw quite a few competitors learning yesterday.

Sail GP. How the regattas went

Bravo to the Italians with more than excellent trials. Tita and his team made huge strides in learning how to use this boat new to them, so much so that yesterday they crossed the finish line twice in 3rd place in the four trials (3 – 3 – 7 – 7) and today they placed third in the first of the three trials held (3 – 9 – 7). In the final ranking of yesterday’s day Italy placed 5th while in the ranking of the New Zealand leg the team of two-time Olympic champion Ruggero Tita placed 6th, a nice improvement from 11th place in Dubai. And we also hoped for more because our team, sponsored by Red Bull and coordinated by Jimmy Spithill, showed mastery of the medium and excellent tactical insights.

Yesterday little wind, today “too much”

In yesterday’s 4 trials, with the new foils and moderate but gusty and erratic wind, sudden accelerations and falls from the foils had been seen by all teams. Today, with very strong winds, the problem was certainly not falling off the foils, but mostly avoiding scuffing. It must be admitted that, with such fast boats, fleet racing is far more fun (for those who see it) than match racing. So much so that yesterday in Auckland, watching in the amphitheater at sea were nearly 30,000 people, 8,000 of them paying, with regular tickets purchased by the award-winning organization, directed by Russell Coutts and sponsored by Red Bull. A complex traveling ‘circus’ that will move to Australia for the next stage scheduled for February 8 and 9 in Sydney. Really a lot of disappointment among the Kiwi public that saw Peter Burling ‘s New Zealand hull finish the event only in 4th place behind Tom Slingby’s Australia, Diego Botin ‘s Spain and Dylan Fletcher‘s Great Britain. In 5th place was Denmark, followed by Italy and Switzerland.

Going back to yesterday’s trials, in the first race, Italy takes a penalty at the start (because it enters the area after the 10-second mark) but starts well accelerated, is third at the mark, pays the penalty, slips to 6th place but then thanks to tactical choices gradually moves up positions and cuts third. In the second race, Tita starts in the fray and stays throughout the race around 4th position and then increases speed and cuts third. With today’s first, brilliant race, Italy stands out, cuts third and hints at the possibility of being among the first three competitors who acquire the right to compete in the stage final, but the next two races see our team only in 9th and 7th place. Final dominated by Tom Slingby who finished first ahead of Botin and Fletcher.

Sail GP. Italy gives up the Taranto stage?

Finally, the news from Italy does not come good, with the municipality of Taranto announcing that it will abandon the Sail GP stage scheduled for September 6 and 7 because it has been unable to find funding to cover the necessary expenses. Hopefully they will make it, or at least the stage can be kept in Italy.

Ida Castiglioni