Emirates GBR CEO and Co-Owner Ben Ainslie has broken down the pivotal moment that decided one of the closest SailGP Finals in recent memory, as Emirates GBR and Australia battled for victory in New York.
Ainslie breaks down the final in New York and those big umpire calls . . . ‘I think our team were right to feel hard done by with that decision.’
The Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix Final delivered a thrilling contest between three of the league’s strongest teams, with Emirates GBR, Australia and Canada locked in a battle that went right down to the final mark rounding.
Now, I’ve got the benefit of having seen the Umpire app. It’s going to get plenty of encouragement from the shoreline there as well.
But looking at the umpire app here, it’s pretty clear that they had the space to get the gybe in and get in front of Australia. It doesn’t really look like it on the screen.
Australia do a better job and they got a better angle coming into this mark.
So, they they overtake around the mark. But then once they clear the mark, they still got to keep clear as the the windward boat, the giveaway boat. And they don’t really do that.
They turn down and actually GBR’s got to turn down to keep clear. So I would say that was a tough call for for our team. I mean, the Aussies did great hustling as always.
I think our team were right to feel hard done by with that decision.
So, it is what it is. There’s no harm sort of moaning about it now. It was a fantastic race and I think we should expect to see more of that from from these two teams moving forward.
The next SailGP event is Canada Sail Grand Prix Halifax on 20-21 June 2026.
