There was no messing around on day one of the Rolex Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix. Four fleet races. Twelve teams. One relentless, high-octane day of foiling action under the Californian sun. And when the spray settled, it was the Black Foils of New Zealand sitting pretty at the top with 31 points, taking two dominant wins and reminding everyone exactly why they’re one of the teams to beat.
It was a proper SailGP spectacle—sold-out grandstands, breeze up to 18 knots, and plenty of high-stakes drama. The locals had their eyes locked on the U.S. team, kicking off the first of three home events, but Taylor Canfield’s squad had to settle for seventh overall after a day of mid-fleet finishes. “Pretty hectic,” was his assessment—though he was buzzing about the home crowd energy and what it means to the team.
For Peter Burling and his New Zealand crew, it was a welcome return to form after some less-than-stellar outings Down Under. “Awesome day for us—first to mark one in three races, plus two wins,” said Burling, though he admitted there’s still work to do before the all-important final.
One of the biggest heartbreaks of the day came in fleet race three, where it looked like Brazil, led by Martine Grael, was about to notch their first ever SailGP race win. Enter Australia. Three-time champions. Masters of last-minute heartbreak. Tom Slingsby and co. stole it on the final mark with a daring close quarters maneuver. “That finish with Brazil – we only had half a meter on each side," Slingsby commented. "It was exciting for the fans I’m sure – but scary for us!”
Elsewhere, France flew the flag for their new superstar backer, Kylian Mbappé, and even newer team partner, L'Oréal, by taking the win in the final fleet race of the day. That performance put Les Bleus in fourth overall—well within striking distance heading into Sunday.
It wasn’t all good news on the water, though. ROCKWOOL Denmark had an absolute nightmare after hitting a mark in race one, sustaining serious damage and earning a 12-point penalty in the process. The damage has ruled them out of the second day in LA and put their appearance at next weekend's San Francisco event in question. A disappointing scenario for a team that had looked strong and confident so far this season.
So, where does that leave us? New Zealand leads overnight, but with Canada and Australia breathing down their necks, and it’s all set up for an epic Sunday showdown.
