Tom Slingsby and his Australian team have won the $1m purse for the second time after an event that was frenetic and chaotic at times Australia SailGP Team helmed by Tom Slingsby celebrate after winning the Grand Final on Race Day 2 of San Francisco SailGP, Season 2 in San Francisco, USA. 27th March 2022. Photo: Ricardo Pinto for SailGPTom Slingsby\u2019s Australian team have won the second season of SailGP, picking up the $1m prize purse for the second season running in what was a chaotic day on the water in San Francisco.
\nOnly the top three teams on the season leaderboard are eligible to race in the final, winner-takes-all race. Tom Slingsby and Jimmy Spithill\u2019s Team USA had both cemented their spot in the final race ahead of this final SailGP regatta in San Francisco.
\nThe final spot was up for grabs heading into the weekend\u2019s racing, though Nathan Outteridge\u2019s Team Japan were in a strong position in third overall.
\nGreat Britain SailGP Team helmed by Ben Ainslie in action on Race Day 1 of San Francisco SailGP, Season 2 in San Francisco, USA. 26th March 2022. Photo: Ricardo Pinto for SailGP
\nA strong performance on the opening day of racing from Nathan Outteridge\u2019s Japan team saw it book its place in Sunday\u2019s three-way battle for $1 million, set to take place after the last two races of the regatta on the second day of racing.
\nBut it was the second day which saw much of the drama as several collisions took place in the extremely gusty conditions and one race was even abandoned due to a whale on the course.
\nWith significant gusts and shifts throughout the day due to the wind blowing off the land, and some decent waves it was tough for the teams to foil consistently and they often looked at the edge of control. As such it was, arguably, only a matter of time until we saw a collision or significant crash.
\nUSA SailGP Team helmed by Jimmy Spithill and Spain SailGP Team co-helmed by Florian Trittel and Jordi Xammar collide on Race Day 2 of San Francisco SailGP, Season 2 in San Francisco, USA. 27th March 2022. Photo: Simon Bruty for SailGP.
\nThe first collision on the second day saw rookie Spanish driver Jordi Xammar, sailing for team Spain, barge in at the leeward mark managing to mount the stern of Spithill\u2019s boat resulting in a huge hole on the bow of the Spanish entrant and a similarly large hole in the stern of the USA\u2019s foiling F50.
\nRemarkably enough Spithill and his crew managed to finish the race, keeping to boat foiling as much as possible to prevent it filling up with water. However, with their position in the final at stake they chose to sit out the next race to affect a speedy temporary repair to their boat.
\nThe second big moment came in the next race when Ben Ainslie\u2019s British team were heading downwind on starboard tack. Peter Burling\u2019s New Zealand team and the French team with Quentin Delapierre on the helm were on port, with both needing to avoid the Brits. Delapierre appeared to luff in order to take the Brit\u2019s stern while the Kiwis \u2013 to windward of the French team \u2013 looked to bear away in order to slow and cross behind the Brits.
\nIt was another big collision and, with both boats alongside each other, could have been very dangerous indeed as the boats mounted nearly hitting crewmembers.
\nNew Zealand SailGP Team co-helmed by Peter Burling and Blair Tuke and Australia SailGP Team helmed by Tom Slingsby in action on Race Day 1 of San Francisco SailGP, Season 2 in San Francisco, USA. 26th March 2022. Photo: Felix Diemer for SailGP
\nAfter all that action, the final race was something of a let down as a swinging breeze made the course a bit of a procession and Australia\u2019s Slingby getting off the line in a good puff while his two competitors sat in light air unable to get their F50s onto their foils.
\nBy the time Spithill got to the first mark in second place, the Aussies were already half way down the next leg and never really looked back.
\nTaking back-to-back victories in both the first season of SailGP and the second, Slingsby continues to prove he is a sailor at the very top of his game. The professional SailGP series sees him sail against some of the very best skippers in the world and he has bested them at every turn.<\/p>\n
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Tom Slingsby and his Australian team have won the $1m purse for the second time after an event that was frenetic and chaotic at times Australia SailGP Team helmed by Tom Slingsby celebrate after winning the Grand Final on Race … <\/p>\n