PORTSMOUTH, UK – 20 JULY 2025 – The BONDS Flying Roos’ hopes of a podium finish at the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix came undone in dramatic fashion on Sunday, with extreme conditions and a contentious umpire call combining to derail their Finals campaign.
With top-end winds and waves pounding the fleet on the Solent, teams were pushed to the limit in what many described as “survival racing”. The high stakes Super Sunday saw Emirates GBR and Spain both suffer tech issues during racing, near-misses across the fleet, and boats reaching speeds of up to 83 km/h in wild conditions.
Tom Slingsby’s crew were in the hunt for the third seat in the winner-takes-all final ahead of Switzerland after the team secured a fourth place in Fleet Race 5.
However the defining moment for the Australians came in Fleet Race 6, when they were hit with a controversial penalty in a four-boat incident involving Canada, Denmark and Great Britain. Australia was deemed the outside boat failing to give room to Canada by the umpires, a decision that forced the team to go behind Canada losing several places in the fleet and ultimately a place in the Final.
Tom Slingsby shared his view on the penalty saying, “We obviously didn’t even see Canada, they were three boats apart. I have seen the footage and I am still shocked as to how we got the penalty. GBR didn’t even attempt to gybe and if they did we would have had to avoid and keep clear of them, but I am still baffled by the decision. That cost us the final.”
New Zealand’s Black Foils claimed victory on the Solent, edging out Great Britain and Switzerland, while Australia finished fourth overall at the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix.
Slingsby commented on the team’s overall performance saying, “We’ve got speed and we’ve got the skills to do it. We had some really great moments and some average moments, but we know we can sail better than that so we will regroup and review the footage so we can keep improving.”
The Kiwi win has triggered a shake-up at the top of the 2025 Season Leaderboard, with New Zealand now moving into first place on 54 points, narrowly ahead of the BONDS Flying Roos on 52 points, and Spain close behind on 51 points.
The Rolex SailGP Championship now shifts to Sassnitz, Germany, with the next Grand Prix scheduled for August 16-17 , as the BONDS Flying Roos continue their campaign for a fourth championship title.
OVERALL STANDINGS FOR THE EMIRATES GREAT BRITAIN SAIL GRAND PRIX//
ROLEX SAILGP 2025 CHAMPIONSHIP LEADERBOARD//
2025 ROLEX SAILGP CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON CALENDAR//
- Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas, November 23-24, 2024
- ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix | Auckland, January 18-19
- KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix | Sydney, February 8-9
- Rolex Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix, March 15-16
- Oracle San Francisco Sail Grand Prix, March 22-23
- Enel Rio Sail Grand Prix, May 3-4
- Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix, June 7-8
- Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix | Portsmouth, July 19-20
- Germany Sail Grand Prix | Sassnitz, August 16-17
- ROCKWOOL France Sail Grand Prix | Saint-Tropez, September 12-13
- Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix | Geneva, September 20-21
- Spain Sail Grand Prix | Andalucía-Cádiz, October 4-5
- Mubadala Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix presented by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, November 28-29
ABOUT SAILGP// The most exciting racing on water, the Rolex SailGP Championship is a global championship with national teams battling it out in identical high-tech, high-speed 50-foot foiling catamarans at iconic venues around the world. Racing faster than the wind at speeds exceeding 100 km/h // 60mph, the Rolex SailGP Championship is driven by the sport’s top athletes, with national pride, personal glory, and bonus prize money of US$12 million at stake. Powered by nature – wind, sea and sun – driven by purpose, SailGP races for a better future. Visit SailGP.com to find out more.
ABOUT BONDS // Bonds has been keeping Aussie boobs, bums and bits covered and comfy for over 100 years. From lucky undies on the sports field, to a hundred summers in the humble Bonds Chesty tank – it’s a lifetime of Aussies wearing Bonds, the common ground we all share. Bonds, made for down under. Visit www.bondsaustralia.com or www.bonds.com.au to find out more.
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