Sydney Sail Grand Prix was decided in light and unstable conditions as the U.S. SailGP Team claimed a breakthrough win on Sydney Harbour.
Led by driver Taylor Canfield, the Americans finished ahead of Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team in second and Spain’s Los Gallos in third.
It was the team’s first event win since Cádiz in Season 4 and Canfield’s first victory in SailGP. “It’s an incredible feeling,” he said.
The Americans posted qualifying results of 3, 1, 6 on Championship Sunday. In marginal foiling conditions, they avoided traffic and maintained clean air while rivals struggled in disturbed breeze.
“It was a tricky racetrack but we came into today with a really good plan,” Canfield said. “We knew we had to keep the pedal down, stay in clean air and stay out of the pack.”
In the Final, Emirates GBR won the start and controlled the early stages. The U.S. crew seized the lead at the gate and extended on the final legs to secure victory.
Emirates GBR strategist Hannah Mills described the day as survival sailing. “It was just so hard today… it feels like surviving a day like that and we somehow did and got into the Final and we landed second,” she said.
The result reshapes the SailGP Championship standings. Emirates Great Britain now lead on 28 points. Australia’s BONDS Flying Roos sit second on 25. The U.S. move into third on 20 points.
For Australia, it marked the first time the three-time champions missed a home final. Driver Tom Slingsby admitted errors. “We didn’t sail well enough to make the Final and got the result we deserved,” he said.
Elsewhere, Northstar SailGP Team endured a difficult regatta, finishing last in the fleet. Driver Giles Scott said the team would “reset” after a weekend of setbacks.
Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team showed signs of progress, finishing seventh overall ahead of its home debut in Rio next month. Driver Martine Grael said recent crew changes had strengthened unity within the squad.
The championship now moves to the Enel Rio Sail Grand Prix on Guanabara Bay on 11–12 April.
