It was a weekend of unpredictability, four different winners in four events, and an LA crowd treated to some of the closest, hardest-fought racing of the season so far. “I think we sailed really well all weekend,” Scott admitted. “Yesterday we were second overall, and still frustrated. We put it together today.” Understatement of the year.
With ROCKWOOL Denmark out of the mix due to damage, it was 11 teams battling in light but foiling conditions off the Port of Los Angeles. Emirates GBR stormed to victory in fleet race five before Australia reminded everyone why they’re three-time champions, edging out New Zealand and Canada in fleet race six.
But it was race seven that had the biggest shake-up—Dylan Fletcher’s GBR squad came out firing, led to mark one, and never looked back. Unfortunately for them they missed out on the Final by a single point after Tom Slingsby’s Australia overtook the Americans late in the race to snatch third overall, leaving the British overall circuit leaders on the outside looking in.
“It’s disappointing, but I’m proud of how we fought,” said Fletcher. “It was a rollercoaster at the finish. We thought the Americans had done it, but they stuffed their last tack, leaving the door open for the Aussies.”
The Final? All Peter Burling’s Black Foils—until it wasn’t. The Kiwis executed a textbook start, won the sprint to mark one, and then proceeded to unravel, opening the door for Scott’s Canadians to surge ahead with clinically precise sailing. Top speed of the day? Canada. Best fly time? Canada. Australia, meanwhile, struggled to even stay airborne, limping over the finish in third.
When the dust settled, the season leaderboard saw a shuffle—New Zealand climbed to third overall, Canada jumped from sixth to fifth, and Emirates GBR held onto first ahead of Australia. The Americans? Tenth overall, with Taylor Canfield happy just to soak in the warmth of the home crowd in LA. “I think overall it was an amazing event – to be here at a home event and everyone being so pumped to take photos and get introduced to our sport – that’s what it's all about,” he said.
For New Zealand, it was a massive return to form—five podium finishes across eight races. “Really pleased with the way the team is progressing,” Burling said. “It feels like we’re getting better and better every event.”
Next stop for the SailGP circus? A fast turnaround as the circuit moves on quickly to San Francisco next weekend where there’s always a good chance of breezy conditions. Racing will take along the city’s waterfront with the Golden Gate Bridge as the backdrop. If Los Angeles was close, San Fran could well be a classic.
