Jun 27, 2023
The fourth and new season of SailGP, the F1 of the sea, the unique competition of flying catamarans that can reach up to 100 kilometers per hour, has begun. This first venue where the SailGP teams competed was in Chicago, on Lake Michigan. The first day of competition saw super favorable weather conditions for the race, while the second day was quite the opposite, with conditions that had nothing to do with those of the first day of racing and being more complicated to practice sailing to perfection, with no wind.
The Swiss team has achieved its first victory of the season, in the second race where they have dominated from the beginning. Sebastian Schneiter's team managed to take the lead in this race and thus improve the results of the previous day. Canada, undoubtedly, has been another of the outstanding teams, as it has managed to sneak into the grand final. On the other hand, the Spanish team has had good results, achieving its first victory of the season. The Roosters finished the first Grand Prix of the season with a great 5th place in the standings.
In such a complicated scenario, with so much traffic, little room for maneuver, and with minimal wind, the Spanish team has been close to participate in the final. And the Australian and New Zealand teams have made some spectacular races, staying in the first positions. First positions that they have achieved on the horn.
On the part of the hosts, the American team has not achieved the desired victory despite signing a very good first race on Saturday. The Rolex United States Sail Grand Prix has not allowed Jimmy Spithill's team to demonstrate their ability and aptitude and is in ninth place in the overall standings. Emirates GBR, which suffered penalties in the race, and France, which failed to maintain the good sensations of last season, also failed to achieve the expected results.
The final was contested by Australia, New Zealand and Canada, in a slow race, due to the little wind, in which the teams were conservative to achieve victory. The Kiwis secured their first position at the start followed by Australia. This minimal advantage at the start, which Peter Burling's team achieved, allowed them to be the winners of the first Grand Prix of the season.