GB lose man overboard while NZ’s borrowed boat bites them at Sydney SailGP

New Zealand’s borrowed boat quickly bit them as Peter Burling’s crew endured a frustrating opening day of the Sydney SailGP regatta on Saturday.

With their Kiwi boat back at home undergoing repairs after being hit by lightning following their win in Singapore last month, Burling was loaned Canada’s old boat for this crucial regatta.

New Zealand were handed a penalty for being over the line early in the opening race, but their real problems hit on leg four when they had starboard daggerboard issues that had Burling calling for a retirement though they managed to recover enough to finish last.

There was a better showing in race two with a third placing, but they had a costly boundary penalty in race three to finish fourth.

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The star-studded Kiwi crew struggled for rhythm on their new surroundings, they just weren’t able to get into their groove consistently. They had only a 93% foiling time and finished the opening day in sixth place, though only three points off the top three.

There are two more fleet races on Sunday and New Zealand will need improvement to try to force themselves into the Sydney final.

It was a dramatic day in winds around 50kph and boats consistently pushing past 90kph.

Great Britain lost grinder Matt Gotrel overboard at one stage and had him dangling on his lifeline between the foils, before he was luckily hauled in.

New Zealand are looking to preserve their second place on the tour standings and also eat into Australia’s nine-point lead over them on the points table as the US$1m winner-takes-all grand final in San Francisco in May starts to come into focus with that lucrative race featuring the top three teams.

Australia had their own daggerboard issues that almost saw them not starting the opening race.

But they were able to front up at the last minute and get a gutsy third, followed by a fourth (despite an early start), though they limped home in sixth place in the third race.

France, who threaten New Zealand on the season points table, had no problems in the tricky conditions and proved the form team in Sydney, winning all three races.

There was also an improved performance from Jimmy Spithill’s United States team with a couple of seconds and a fifth.

SYDNEY SAIL GP – Day One

Race 1: France1, US 2, Australia 3, Denmark 4, Canada 5, GB 6, Switzerland 7, Spain 8, NZ 9.

Race 2: France 1, US 2, NZ 3, Australia 4, Spain 5, GB 6, Canada 7, Denmark 8, Switzerland 9.

Race 3: France 1, GB 2, Denmark 3, NZ 4, US 5, Australia 6, Canada 7, Switzerland 8, Spain 9.

Point after 3 of 5 races: France 30, US 24, Australia 20, GB 19, Denmark 18, NZ 17, Canada 14, Spain 11, Switzerland 9