
Bob Martin/SailGP
The excitement of SailGP’s Season 5 rolled on from its inaugural event in Dubai, which kicked off nearly two months ago in the serene desert. This past weekend, the competitors dove into a high-speed racing showdown in Auckland’s windswept waters for the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix. The racing layout, nestled between towering bleachers and a considerable fleet of spectators, proved to be a challenging test for several newly-formed teams, particularly those grappling with the fresh T-foils on the F50s. At the end of two exhilarating days and eight races, it was the seasoned Australia SailGP team that stood tall, outpacing both the Emirates GBR and Spain teams in the three-boat final.

Brett Phibbs/SailGP
Reflecting on their win, Australian skipper Tom Slingsby shared, “This victory holds immense significance for us. We’re incredibly grateful to our new wing trimmer, Chris Draper, for his contributions. The team really set us up for success. Our last race was phenomenal. We found ourselves locked in a fierce battle with the British on the first leg, only to have the Spanish come at us hard during the final upwind leg. They initially seemed to settle for second, but opted to chase us down for the win, and we narrowly managed to secure the lead.”
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Black Foils team experienced a challenging start but found their rhythm, finishing second in Fleet Race 7. Despite this achievement, they ultimately couldn’t clinch a spot in the Final. ROCKWOOL Denmark faced a similar fate, even after their impressive back-to-back victories in Fleet Races 6 and 7. Skipper Nicolai Sehested and his crew displayed remarkable skill, leveraging their experience with the F50 to navigate the new foils and harness the high speeds effectively.
Peter Burling, the helmsman for New Zealand, expressed his frustration after the races: “It was a tricky day for us. Each day we made progress, becoming more and more comfortable, but it didn’t translate into results this time. We’re really excited about the way our team is developing – now we just need to take on the Aussies at their home ground next time.”

Felix Diemer/SailGP
The introduction of titanium T-Foils for the Auckland event added an extra layer of complexity for many teams, including the US SailGP squad, which experienced some solid starts but struggled with their maneuvers throughout the races.
“At times, the boats feel more stable,” noted US team helmsman Taylor Canfield after several days of training with the new foils. “However, there are moments where they present challenges in sailing. It’s all part of the journey of improving speed and staying ahead in technology while pushing our limits.”
Prior to the introduction of T-foils, the F50s used L-shaped foils, which demanded fewer adjustments from the foil trimmers. The new setup offers flight controllers the ability to adjust the maximum angle of the T-foils while managing both cant and rake settings, all while coordinating rudder settings concurrently.
“Our sailing technique hasn’t changed significantly,” Canfield continued, “but the dynamic roles on board have shifted, which greatly influences our starting strategy—resulting in a need to get back to the start line quicker than we’re accustomed to.”

Felix Diemer/SailGP
The US team maintained their usual pre-start strategy of leading the charge to the starting line; while this tactic paid off occasionally, there were also moments when they found themselves caught in the turbulent wing wash of competing boats. Their strong starts often deteriorated quickly after rounding the first mark, as they struggled to maintain stable flight.
“Navigating the boat in a straight line around the course has become more nuanced,” Canfield explained during a media call ahead of the races on Saturday in New Zealand. “When the tip of the foil begins to break the surface, it can lead to a quick drop in speed if the flow detaches, causing the boat to fall off the foils sharply. So, we definitely need to be careful not to let our foils rise too high; it’s a costly mistake if we do.”

Felix Diemer/SailGP
Following the impressive Australian win in Auckland, the Black Foils team found themselves in second place in the 2025 Season standings of the Rolex SailGP Championship. Emirates Great Britain, helmed by Dylan Fletcher, climbed to the top position, both teams sharing 17 points, while Australia follows closely behind with 16 points. Canada did not compete on Day 2 as flight controller Billy Gooderham sustained an injury during warm-up, and France was absent from the event, awaiting the completion of their new F50 catamaran, Boat 12, which faced delays due to issues with its new wing. This vessel is anticipated to make its debut at the upcoming regatta, the Australia Sail Grand Prix, scheduled for February.