Phil Robertson’s Canada secure their first SailGP win at the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix on the waters of Whakaraupō, Lyttelton Harbour.
The Canadians went head to head against home favourites New Zealand and season leaders Australia in the final after claiming their place by beating Ben Ainslie’s Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team in the final moments of the fifth fleet race to make the three boat final.
In one of the closest Final battles of the season, a perfect start by all three boats meant everything was to play for as the Final got underway, but it was Canada that was first at Mark One with the all-important inside track.
Despite falling off the foils and even picking up a boundary penalty, the Canadians were consistently faster than the Kiwis and crossed the line to pick up 10 season points.
Canada Crew List:
Skipper Phil Robertson / Driver
Chris Draper / Wing Trimmer
Billy Gooderham / Flight Controller
Tim Hornsby / Grinder
Tom Ramshaw / Grinder
Graeme Sutherland / Grinder
Isabella Bertold / Strategist
Tom Slingsby’s Australia picked up two race wins on the second day of racing in Christchurch, but never posed a serious threat as the Final unfolded.
The Aussies remain comfortable at the top of the overall Season leaderboard with 84 points, while Pete Burling’s New Zealand, in second place with 73, has slightly closed the gap.
Quentin Delapierre’s France remains in third with 69 points and has a slim one-point lead ahead of Ben Ainslie’s Emirates Team GBR in fourth place.
With New Zealand all but assured of second place overall, Delapierre’s France and Ainslie’s Emirates Great Britain are in a neck and neck battle for the last Grand Final spot in San Francisco.
Season 3 of SailGP’s global championship concludes on the waters of San Francisco Bay at the next event, the Mubadala SailGP Season 3 Grand Final on 6 and 7 May 2023.
ITM NEW ZEALAND SAIL GRAND PRIX | CHRISTCHURCH FINAL STANDINGS
1st Canada – – 10 points
2nd New Zealand – – 9 points
3rd Australia – – 8 points
4th Great Britain – – 7 points
5th France – – 6 points
6th United States – – 5 points
7th Switzerland – – 4 points
8th Denmark – – 3 points
9th Spain – – 2 points
SAILGP SEASON 3 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (after ten events)
1st Australia – – 84 points
2nd New Zealand – – 73 points
3rd France – – 69 points
4th Great Britain – – 68 points
5th Denmark – – 60 points
6th Canada – – 59 points
7th United States – – 57 points
8th Switzerland – – 29 points
9th Spain – – 29 points
