Australia tops the table on rival waters after day one of the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix. A strong breeze, with gusts up to 35 km/h, set the stage for the SailGP’s first-ever ‘Super Saturday’ – four action-packed fleet races on the stunning Waitematā Harbor.
Despite the accelerated schedule, shifty conditions, a tight course – the shortest of the season – and the introduction of SailGP’s new high-speed, titanium ‘T-Foils,’ the Rolex SailGP Championship’s 11-strong national fleet displayed masterful racing.
The day got off to a flying start for Emirates Great Britain, with new driver Dylan Fletcher quickly proving his Dubai podium finish wasn’t a fluke. Fletcher led the pack to a 16-second victory in Fleet Race 1, while hometown favourites the Black Foils staged an impressive series of overtakes, finishing fourth after starting the day in a disappointing ninth place.
Wrapping up the day second in the event standings, Emirates Great Britain strategist Hannah Mills said, “It was really changeable, massive pressure differences across the course, sixty degree shifts almost, so it was all on. We definitely managed to stay consistent over the first few races, then in the last race we stayed right in the mix. It’s a small race track but I think everyone did a really great job getting round the track and making it good for the spectators.”
The Australia SailGP Team took the win in Fleet Race 2, which also saw a dramatic nosedive from the U.S. SailGP Team. Fleet Race 3 went the way of the Swiss, while New Zealand claimed the fourth and final fleet race of the day. The Kiwi victory ended a trio of mid-fleet results for the hometown favorites, who finished fourth, eighth, and sixth in the preceding fleet races.
Black Foils Driver Peter Burling said, “We battled a little in the first three but with the last one we got off the start, led in mark one, and just sent it the whole way through. We definitely had our snakes and our ladders and ended up at the back quite a few times and managed to pick quite a few off.”
One of two new teams in the 2025 Season, Red Bull Italy SailGP Team driver Ruggero Tita reflected on a consistent day, including two third-place finishes. Tita said, “We are really happy with today. We had some good starts in the first two races. The third one we landed the boat at the bottom gate and had to fight back. For sure, we are really happy with the performance today for the team.”
While Mubadala Brazil had a challenging opening day – heading into Championship Sunday in 10th – driver Martine Grael boasts top speed on day one, clocking 87 km/h on the new T-Foils.
Reflecting on the league’s debut in the City of Sails, Burling said, “It’s so special to have an event here at home. Having this debut event in Auckland, seeing the grandstand full, and all the boats around the course made for a really special day of racing.”
The most exciting racing on water returns tomorrow, with live racing beginning at 4 p.m. NZT. This weekend’s event is set to welcome more than 25,000 fans across the Race Stadium and official spectator fleet. A handful of Sunday tickets remain for both days, available for purchase at SailGP.com/Auckland.
DAY 1 STANDINGS – ITM NEW ZEALAND SAIL GRAND PRIX | AUCKLAND |
1 // Australia 34 points
2 // Emirates Great Britain 28 points
3 // Spain 26 points
4 // New Zealand 25 points
5 // Red Bull Italy 24 points
6 // Rockwool Denmark 23 points
7 // Switzerland 19 points
8 // Canada 19 points
9 // United States 11 points
10 // Mubadala Brazil 6 points
11 // Germany 5 points
