Sail GP: Mixed bag of races at Portsmouth for NZ's Black Foils while Emirates GBR shine
Photo:
Ricardo Pinto for SailGP
The New Zealand SailGP team has had an up and down opening day at the Portsmouth round of this year's series.
After a solid second place in the opening race, the Peter Burling-led team then finished fourth in the second.
The highlight of the day was winning the third, but they had a race to forget in the fourth, finishing second-to-last in 11th.
The local British team were the stars of the day, with skipper Dylan Fletcher delivering a masterclass in speed and consistency to send his team to the top of the leaderboard after a commanding opening day off England's south coast.
Fletcher's crew won the first Portsmouth race and then never let up, collecting second, third and second place in the remaining heats.
By the end of the day, they had 36 points, comfortably ahead of Switzerland and Australia.
"We've had some tough events, so to be here and have a good Saturday, especially in front of a home crowd, is amazing," Fletcher said.
"I'm really happy and proud of the team. But we know there's still a big job to do tomorrow.
Despite a long list of podiums around the world, Britain has never won a SailGP event on home waters, a record Fletcher and his crew are desperate to break in Sunday's finale.
The Portsmouth grandstand was packed as spectators enjoyed clear skies and unpredictable conditions, with shifting winds and coastal obstacles keeping teams on their toes.
France, meanwhile, saw their hopes dashed before racing began, forced to withdraw after a wing incident in training.
All athletes were reported safe, but the setback is another blow for Quentin Delapierre's team, who were just starting to find form after missing the early rounds.
At the season's halfway mark, Spain lead the overall SailGP standings, followed by Australia and New Zealand.
Emirates GBR are fourth overall.
- Reuters
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