Bermuda:  Canada Stumbles Late, US Tips Over

FD2_0080 (1) 840.jpg     United States F50 defined the cause of the capsize as ‘user error’ credit: Felix Diemer for SailGP

May 9, 2024

Spain got the better of two of the league’s heavyweights – Australia and New Zealand – in a tense three-boat final at the Apex Group Bermuda Sail Grand Prix to win its second SailGP event of Season 4.  Canada could have been the giant killer but for an unfortunate fifth race but the US wasn’t close due to a capsize in warm up races the day before competition.

Drama started before the fleet took to the Great Sound with the official news that Taylor Canfield’s US SailGP Team would not be on the startline for racing this weekend after the teams’ dramatic capsize in yesterday’s official practice racing. Data provided by the United States F50 defined the cause of the capsize as ‘user error’ – wing trimmer Victor Diaz de Leon meant to flatten the wing but instead accidentally pressed a button which inverted it when he was positioned on the starboard side of the boat.

Canada: Almost

Phil Robertson and the Canada Team gave the fleet a run for its money staying hot on the heels of first place, placing second in three of the fleet races. This all came to an end when the Canadians fell off the foils in the lead up to crossing the start line of fleet race five, making it to mark one at the very back of the fleet and not managing to make a comeback. 

Robertson said: “It’s genuinely painful to be honest. We have been in the situation when the shoe is on the other foot and snuck in and it feels pretty good but copping it on the chin is a tough one. 

“We had a solid first race and put in a really solid effort and in the second race we had a horrible start but we were in the mix coming into the top gate and let it slip away right at the end there by letting a few boats slip past us. We probably should have stayed in front of them so that’s our own fault and something we’ve got to learn from but it’s disappointing and we’re gutted.”

CANSailGP can redeem it all when the Series returns to North America for the final three events of Season 4 – landing in Canada for the first time in the league’s history for the ROCKWOOL Canada Sail Grand Prix in Halifax (Yay!) competing on the Harbour – between Georges Island and the Macdonald Bridge. Be there!

APEX GROUP BERMUDA SAIL GRAND PRIX // FINAL STANDINGS // 

1 // Spain 10 points

2 // New Zealand 9 points

3 // Australia 8 points

4 // Canada 7 points

5 // ROCKWOOL Denmark 6 points

6 // Germany 5 points

7 // Switzerland 4 points

8 // Emirates Great Britain 3 points

9 // France 2 points

10 // United States 1 points

SAILGP SEASON 4 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (after ten events) //

1 // New Zealand 77 points

2 // Australia 67 points

3 // Spain 65 points

4 // ROCKWOOL Denmark 56 points

5 // France 56 points

6 // Canada 53 points

7 // United States 49 points

8 // Emirates GBR 848 points

9 // Germany 32 points

10 // Switzerland 26 points