May 31 (Reuters) – Australia’s BONDS Flying Roos edged Emirates GBR in a dramatic winner-takes-all final to win the New York Sail Grand Prix on Sunday and claim their third consecutive SailGP event victory.
The event effectively became a one-day contest after SailGP voided Saturday’s racing, when strong winds prevented most of the fleet from launching on the Hudson River.
The victory was Australia’s fourth from six events this season and extended Tom Slingsby’s lead in the championship standings to 55 points, 11 ahead of Emirates GBR. Spain’s Los Gallos, who arrived in New York seeking a fifth straight podium finish, slipped to fourth in the standings on 34 points after a frustrating day.
Spain’s hopes faded after Saturday’s reduced-fleet results were wiped from the record, before hydraulic problems prevented Diego Botin’s crew from starting the second fleet race on Sunday and reaching the three-boat final.
Emirates GBR opened Sunday with victory in the first fleet race before the United States team delighted home fans by winning race two.
A start-line collision involving the United States, Red Bull Italy and Mubadala Brazil led to the Americans’ disqualification from the final fleet race, sending Australia, Emirates GBR and NorthStar Canada into the final.
Australia overcame a damaged rudder before the opening race and a ninth-place finish in the day’s opener to reach the final.
Slingsby’s crew rebounded with a second-place finish in race two and third in race three before producing their best sailing when it mattered most.
The Flying Roos led at the opening mark before Emirates GBR moved ahead midway through the race. A favourable shift after a tactical split later allowed Slingsby’s crew to reclaim the lead and edge the British boat in a finish that went down to the final metres.
“We were on the back foot all day. It felt like we were just trying to claw our way back into the races,” Slingsby said.
“That last race was exciting. We ended up getting away with it. It was a close one right to the wire there with the British team.”
Slingsby said the constantly changing conditions made for one of the toughest days of his sailing career.
“It was so tough today. That’s one of the hardest days I’ve done sailing, probably in my life, not just in SailGP,” he said.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; editing by Clare Fallon)
