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The ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix held in Auckland concluded with the victory of the Australian team, led by Tom Slingsby, who dominated the challenging wind conditions and the new T-Foils, securing their first win of the season.
The Spanish SailGP team, led by Diego Botín, had an outstanding performance in Auckland, showing great progress in their performance. From the first day, Spain positioned itself as one of the most consistent teams in the fleet, achieving two podium finishes in the preliminary races, which allowed them to qualify for the final alongside Australia and Great Britain.
In the decisive race, the Spaniards made an impeccable start, staying in the leading positions for much of the regatta. However, in the final stages, the experience of the Australian team and their greater command of the new conditions with the T-Foils made the difference. Despite this, Spain crossed the finish line in second place, just 22 seconds behind the victory, a result that reinforces their competitiveness this season.
Diego Botín, the team's skipper, commented:
"We are very proud of the team. We have been fighting until the last moment, and this result motivates us to continue improving in the upcoming regattas."
Joan Cardona, a team member, highlighted the strength and confidence gained with the foils, which has facilitated a better understanding of the boat. During the event, the team worked intensively in the container, analyzing data and adjusting strategies to optimize their performance.
"We have worked a lot to understand how this boat works. There has been a lot of magic these days in the container, with meetings and analysis to improve our performance." – Joan Cardona.
One of the main challenges was adapting to demanding conditions, with winds of 20 to 25 knots, which made navigation difficult for the entire fleet. The new boat configuration has raised the level of difficulty, but the Spanish team has successfully adapted technically.
Florian Trittel highlighted the importance of the final against Australia, a team that usually dominates when leading from the start. On this occasion, the Spain SailGP Team managed to stay close and put pressure on the Australian team until the end of the regatta.
"Normally, if Australia wins the start, you don't see them again. Today we were there recovering and pushing, which is a great advantage for us." – Florian Trittel.
After the great performance in New Zealand, the Spanish team looks ambitiously towards the next event in Sydney, with the goal of refining details and continuing to improve their performance.
"We started strong this year, and we want to face the rest of the season as the Spanish team deserves." – Joan Cardona.
The Spanish team has shown significant improvement in several key aspects, such as:
Highlights from Day 1:
After this event, the overall standings for the 2025 SailGP season are as follows:
The next challenge for the Spanish team will be in Sydney, Australia, on February 8-9, 2025, where they will seek to consolidate their position and fight for their first victory of the season.