Australia’s Bonds Flying Roos tightened their grip on the 2026 Rolex SailGP Championship with victory at the Apex Group Bermuda Sail Grand Prix. Tom Slingsby’s crew defeated Spain’s Los Gallos and Germany by Deutsche Bank in a tactical three-boat final on Bermuda’s Great Sound.
The win marked Australia’s second straight event victory and a third title of the 2026 season.
Australia’s Bonds Flying Roos celebrate Bermuda SailGP victory. Photo: Mike Lawrence
In lighter winds and a reduced five-athlete crew configuration, the Flying Roos controlled the final from the start. Slingsby’s team held the middle of the line and steadily stretched clear around the compact course.
“It was a weekend where everything clicked,” Slingsby said. “The team was unbelievably well together – we were jelling, and it's amazing to get a result like that,” he added.
Spain briefly challenged before dropping off the foils midway through the race. Diego Botín’s crew attempted a late tactical split, but Australia held firm to extend its championship lead to 10 points.
The result underlined the growing rivalry between Australia and Spain, with both teams dominating the fleet across two days of racing in Bermuda.
Los Gallos had started Sunday level on points with Australia after a strong opening day. Botín’s crew secured victory in race five with a clean start-to-finish performance in lighter breeze. “I think the team is in a really good place right now,” Botín said. “We’re sailing well, we’re consistently putting ourselves in contention, and I’m confident the wins will come,” he added.
Germany by Deutsche Bank also impressed, securing its first SailGP final appearance of the season after winning the decisive seventh fleet race. Erik Heil’s crew handled unstable breeze and difficult foiling conditions to clinch the final berth. “Conditions today were pretty amazing,” Heil said. “It’s really cool to come back to this place next year.”
France also drew attention after stand-in wing trimmer Glenn Ashby suffered an injury during Saturday's racing. Despite emergency crew changes, DS Automobiles Team France remained competitive and collected several podium finishes on Sunday.
The championship now moves to New York, with Australia carrying strong momentum into the next round of the 2026 Rolex SailGP Championship.
