Dylan Fletcher Leads Emirates GBR to Third Place on Race Day 1 in Dubai
by Emirates GBR SailGP Team 23 Nov 08:32 PST
23-24 November 2024
Dylan Fletcher, driver of Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team, competes during practice racing ahead of the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas in Dubai, UAE © Jon Buckle for SailGP
Switzerland SailGP Team, steered by Sebastien Schneiter, and Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team, led by Dylan Fletcher, compete on Race Day 1 of the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas in Dubai, UAE © Jon Buckle for SailGP
Dylan Fletcher has propelled the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team to third place after Race Day 1 in Dubai. This marked Fletcher’s inaugural race in the Driver role for Ben Ainslie’s British squad, with the team finishing with results of 5-8-2 in the three fleet races conducted on Saturday.
These results place the team in third on the leaderboard, behind New Zealand in second and Australia in first. Two additional fleet races are scheduled for Sunday, after which the top three teams will advance to the final podium race to determine the winner of the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas.
Reflecting on the three races from day one, Fletcher, Driver of Emirates GBR, commented: “We had a solid first day, and it’s exciting to be in contention for tomorrow. The conditions were quite challenging for me, and I made a few basic mistakes at the starts of the first two races, but once we crossed the start line, we overtook boats smoothly, which bodes well for the rest of the season. The team did an excellent job, particularly in supporting me. We know it’s important to take each race as it comes; we kept fighting and managed to position ourselves well for tomorrow.”
The conditions at Mina Rashid were tricky, with all 11 national teams striving to keep their 50-foot catamarans foiling in the light winds. Owing to these light conditions, all teams raced with the largest 29m wings on their F50s, and the number of crew members was reduced from six to five for the first race and just four for the second and third races. Consequently, Emirates GBR’s Strategist, Hannah Mills, stepped into the Grinder role, supplying the power needed to maneuver the 29m wing.
Starts proved vital in all three races, as teams starting strong pulled away from the fleet. The United States team capitalized on a robust start to win the opening race, while race two featured a great start by Canada alongside the new team Mubadala Brazil, with both teams racing head-to-head in a light wind drag race to Mark 1. However, Canada managed to push Mubadala Brazil wide, causing the new team to drop behind the fleet and finish 10th, while Canada, helmed by Fletcher’s predecessor, Giles Scott, clinched the win. Despite challenging starts, Emirates GBR advanced steadily through the fleet, gaining seven places on one leg in race one.
An expertly timed approach to the start line saw the Australians surge into a crowded field in the third fleet race, winning the sprint to Mark 1 and lifting onto their foils to pull away. Emirates GBR closely followed, successfully foiling and nearly overtaking Australia around the first mark, but Australia maintained their lead to finish first, with Emirates GBR securing second place.
Hannah Mills, Strategist for Emirates GBR, remarked: “It was tightly contested racing, and the fleet was extremely compact out there. There were fluctuations in positions throughout the course; it felt like a genuine game of snakes and ladders. The 29m wing, which is the largest, was a first for Dylan, and it’s quite different—much heavier, making it beneficial for him to get accustomed to it. Concluding the day with a second-place finish was strong, and the important thing is that we remain competitive for tomorrow.”
Tinie Tempah, one of the most successful UK rappers with seven number one singles, entertained SailGP fans at Mina Rashid. Before performing his biggest hits, Tinie Tempah received insights about SailGP from Ben Ainslie, CEO of Emirates GBR.
There’s everything to race for on the second day of the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas, as teams aim to finish the inaugural event of the Rolex SailGP Championship’s 2025 Season on a high note. Racing resumes on Sunday, with UK viewers able to catch all the action live on TNT Sports starting at 10:00 GMT.
