New Zealand mastered tricky light wind conditions with perfect positioning and tactical nous to seize the first victory of Season 4 in Chicago.
Kiwi Pete Burling beat Tom Slingsby’s Australia and Phil Robertson’s Canada in the three-boat Final, commanding the race from the start with the best angle to Mark One.
The winner-takes-all showdown culminated in a slow motion drag race to the finish line, which involved some unusual techniques on the Kiwi boat, including the continual raising and lowering of the the windward foil . . . apparently to increase boatspeed.
Speaking after racing, Burling revealed ‘everyone across the fleet’ has realized that raising and lowering the hydraulic daggerboard can help propel the boat through the water.
“Normally we sail in enough breeze that it doesn’t make any difference… you can gain speed by putting the daggerboard up and down and effectively use the hydraulic pump downstairs to push the boat forward,” he said.
Whatever was used, including a claimed helicopter downwash by Canada, ultimately Burling’s crew drifted accross the finish for the win to top the leaderboard after two days of close-to-shore racing on Lake Michigan.
The 10-strong F50 fleet will next meet at the Oracle Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix | Port of Los Angeles, 22 and 23 July.
1st New Zealand SailGP Team
Driver: Peter Burling
Wing Trimmer: Blair Tuke
Flight Controller: Andy Maloney
Strategist: Liv Mackay
2nd Australia SailGP Team
Driver: Tom Slingsby
Wing Trimmer: Kyle Langford
Grinder: Kinley Fowler
Strategist: Tash Bryant
3rd Canada SailGP Team
Driver: Phil Robertson
Wing Trimmer: Chris Draper
Flight Controller: Billy Gooderham
Strategist: Isabella Bertold
