The first day of the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Portsmouth produced drama, high speeds and a rollercoaster of results for the home side as a packed grandstand of about 20,000 spectators looked on.
Mixed fortunes for the home favourites
Emirates GBR, the reigning world champions, endured a difficult start to the day in Group B, recording a fourth and a sixth place in their opening races which left them under pressure going into the final run of the session. After those early setbacks, Dylan Fletcher and his crew produced a composed performance in the last race to claim victory in front of the home crowd.
The recovery was timely: Emirates GBR finished Day 1 on seven points, a tally that placed them behind Explora Journeys Swiss by two points and some way adrift of the US SailGP Team by four points. The split-fleet format in this season of SailGP — with the top two from each group progressing to the weekend final — means every point and every finishing position carries weight.
Group A dominated by experienced campaigners
Group A racing was largely controlled by established names. New Zealand’s Peter Burling led the group at the close of play, with Olympic medallist Giles Scott of NorthStar Canada close behind. Spain’s Diago Botin and Australia’s Tom Slingsby completed the group’s upper order after an eventful day of tight mark roundings and penalties that kept spectators engaged.
| Group | Notable standings after Day 1 |
|---|---|
| Group A | 1: Peter Burling (NZ) — 2: Giles Scott (CAN) — 3: Diago Botin (ESP) — 4: Tom Slingsby (AUS) |
| Group B | Emirates GBR ended Day 1 on 7 points; two points behind Explora Journeys Swiss and four behind the US Team. |
Incidents, near-capsizes and close racing
- Racing took place in bright, gusty conditions noted for high speeds and tight, stadium-style courses close to shore.
- Germany experienced a dramatic near-capsize in one of the Group B races, which opened the door for Emirates GBR’s late success in the final race of the day.
- Penalties and close mark roundings continued to influence results across both groups.
The Portsmouth stop remains one of the most spectator-focused events on the SailGP calendar, and Day 1 underlined why: a mixture of elite sailing, expert tactics and unpredictable moments that leave qualification for Sunday’s final very much in the balance. Racing resumes with the remaining scheduled sessions, with the top two from each group progressing to the final to contest the event winner.
