The first season of the SailGP finished last Sunday in Marseille with final victory going to the Australian team (Tom Slingsby) ahead of the Japanese led by Nathan Outteridge. Time for Tip & Shaft to carry out an appraisal of the F50 circuit launched by Larry Ellison/Russell Coutts.
New Zealand Phil Robertson, now 32, has just won 10 days ago the World Match Race Championship for a second time, adding to that famous 2016 world title which brought with it a $1m prize. He is now skipper helm of the China SailGP Team which is complemented by GC32 Tour events with the CHINAOne NINGBO team, the emphasis being to help train up a top echelon of Chinese sailors. Tip & Shaft caught up with Robertson as he relaxed at home in Sweden after winning in magical Marstrand and before he heads to Cowes for the next SailGP event.
The second of the five stages of the SailGP season ended up in San Francisco with the same podium as the first event in Sydney. Victory to the Australians (Tom Slingsby) ahead of the Japanese (Nathan Outterridge) and the visibly improving British (Dylan Fletcher). Tip & Shaft reviews the new circuit launched by Larry Ellison and Russell Coutts.
Taking their place among this week’s Sydney Harbour dress rehearsal racing in preparation for next Friday and Saturday’s first ever SailGP, the Great Britain Sail GP team are only too aware that, when compared to the teams which have more prolonged and in depth experience of the foiling AC50s, they are very much ranked among the underdogs rather than favourites. But…