Spanish team foils Australia to take SailGP championship

There are many sailing events that grab the headlines, from regattas such as the recent Cowes Week on the Isle of Wight in England, to international races like the Ocean Race and the America’s Cup, which sets off from Barcelona later this month. They are the ultimate challenge on the water while also epitomising competitive sport.

More recently, many of these races have taken new approaches to environmental issues. Whether it’s the way support crews travel or the latest technological innovations in the yachts themselves, the racing fraternity is keen to be doing what it can.

SailGP has nothing do with Gauteng Province, instead it is one of the newest championships on the calendar and is supported by Rolex. Launched in 2019 it pits teams from different countries against each other in picturesque locations worldwide. That the F50 foiling catamarans are identical except for their liveries makes for an ultracompetitive level playing field. Speeds of up to 50 knots can be achieved but races are won, or lost, on the crews’ ability to keep their agile boats under control.

Season four has just reached its thrilling climax with an intense series of races in the San Francisco bay. The grand final has been won three times by Australia, which has also taken all three championship titles so far. However, after a Spaniard won Wimbledon and Spain won the Euros, it was yet another reason for celebration in Spain as the country took victory in San Francisco and in so doing, secured the 2024 championship trophy.

The team came so close to victory slipping away when their rudder broke and they had an issue in the very final turn, but ultimately, they kept the chasing pack at bay to be first to sail across the finish line.

Environmental challenge

It was an impressive result for captain Diego Botin and his team, not least of all because the odds were stacked against them. Spain finished last in the 2023 season and only just made it into the grand final after narrowly beating France in the final heats. Even during the race itself, they had the lowest average speed of 62.3km/h compared with New Zealand’s 63km/h. Their time spent with the foils above the water was also less than the Kiwis at 97% against 100%. On the day though, Spain played it clever and executed fewer manoeuvres than its rivals and sailed 100m shorter distance than Australia.

San Francisco marked the end of the 13-race championship, but there was another trophy up for grabs, the winner of the Impact League. It sounds like something from Marvel, and some might say those who take up the environmental challenge are indeed superheroes, but the league measures each team’s positive actions throughout the season.

Emirates Great Britain topped the league, which looks at their environmental footprint and approach to inclusivity.

“Winning the Impact League is testament to the team’s unwavering commitment to sustainability, innovation, and using the power of sport to inspire and educate the next generation,” said Emirates Great Britain team CEO, Ben Ainslie.

“This win highlights the importance of collaboration and innovation in addressing environmental challenges. Athletes and sports teams have a responsibility to use their platform to drive positive change and raise awareness about climate issues. By advocating for sustainability, they can help protect our future.”

The championship itself also focused on environmental action. Ten out of the 13 events were declared to be entirely clean energy, with the Spanish GP making the first yet 100% clean energy event powered by sustainable fuel on-water. Equally impressive, the world’s largest yet temporary solar array installation was installed for the Dubai races, covering ground the size of six basketball courts and producing 70% of the power needed for the entire event.

It’s all change for season five, which gets under way in Dubai in November. New foils beneath the vessels were tested after the final event in San Francisco. Featuring a T-shape rather than the existing L-shape, the new foils are made from titanium and carbon fibre and are thinner and lighter than the ones used this season. They also make the yachts capable of achieving speeds of morer than 100km/h on the water and provide more control. However, at those speeds, crews will need to think faster during race conditions to make the kind of lightning-fast judgment calls needed to win.

You might think the crews will now take a break, but many of them are part of Olympic squads and so will again be sailing for their country as they compete for those highly coveted medals.