SailGP

SailGP Bermuda Sail Grand Prix – Slingsby and the Australian team claim another event victory

They had been on form all weekend and realistically were always looking likely winners . . .

Tom Slingsby and the Australian team Bonds Flying Roos Team stormed into the winner-takes-all Final, and then took another start-to-finish victory to claim the SailGP Bermuda Sail Grand Prix.

The Aussie victory was by 20sec ahead of Spain’s Los Gallos SailGP Team driven by Diego Boti, with third Germany driven by Erik Heil.

In Bermuda Emirates GBR finished fourth and retain second place overall after five events with 35 pts.

The reigning SailGP champions Emirates GBR recovered somewhat from Rio’s dead last, but definitely a work in progress for a team that ws so solid in 2025.

Dylan Fletcher, reflected on the weekend:
“We left a lot on the table and certainly didn’t sail to our best ability [5, 7, 8, 5, 5, 8, 5] but on reflection, even though it’s not the result we wanted, fourth is a good damage-limitation finish. We’re not where we want to be yet, but it’s an improvement from Rio.”

Overall after five events, the Australians lead on 45 pts. Third are the Spanish with 34 pts and fourth the US SailGP Team with 31 pts.

After this back-to-back event win in Bermuda, following on Rio, the Aussies have won US$1.440,000, the Brits US$880,000 and the Spanish US$800,000 prize money to date.

Sunday racing: races 5 to 8 using the 24m mid-range Wingsails for the fleet, along with high-speed foils and rudders.

Sunday Race 5:

Spain grabbed the start to lead at mark 1 from France, Australia, Germany and Emirates GBR. Spain stretched their lead to 10sec at mark 2 ahead of France and Australia with GBR fourth. No change at the Finish, despite Australia getting a boundary penalty they took second by 26sec, with France third, Sweden fourth and GBR fifth.

Sunday Race 6:

This was all Australia who led from start to finish to take a 41 sec win over the Swiss, with France third. Germany were fifth to move into the final 3, with Spain also in the final 3 after getting a ninth finish, but pushed by USA and GBR going into the final race 7.

Sunday Race 7:

Germany were in third place for the final and nailed that place with a start to finish lead, finishing with a 33sec win over Spain with Australia in third . . . those three forming the top three overall and face-off in the winner-takes-all Final. Emirates GBR finishing fifth.

Sunday Grand Final (race 8 for top 3):

Slingsby took the Aussie team into the lead at the first mark and held a 4sec lead at mark 2 from Spain, with Germany third 11 sec back. Germany briefly moved into second but failed to hold it, with the Spanish chasing Australia across the finish, Germany taking third.