After a dramatic two days of racing on the Waitematā Harbour, the Auckland SailGP regatta will be remembered for both blistering speeds and a serious incident that cut short Day One, when a catastrophic collision between the Black Foils and DS Team France ruled both teams out of the remainder of the event.
Before racing was halted, New Zealand had thrilled home fans with a race win and a third-place finish, while France and Australia shared the early points lead.
DS Team France driver Quentin Delapierre reflected on the crash, saying, “I think both teams are quite okay. I want to give my thoughts to the New Zealand team and also to my teammates – this was tough for everyone on both teams.”
Championship Sunday delivered some of the fastest racing of the 2026 season, with gusts pushing teams beyond 90 km/h and forcing SailGP to introduce a split-fleet format for the first time
In a rain-soaked Final, Australia mastered the conditions to hold off Emirates GBR and Spain, sealing their second consecutive Auckland victory.
Tom Slingsby said, “The start was literally about staying on our feet and out of trouble. The Spanish did that well and kept it close, but we managed to make an overtake at the top mark. It was a great race from our end – close, with overtakes – and we were lucky to get there at the right time.”
The result sees Australia move level on points with Emirates GBR in the overall standings, underlining just how tight the 2026 season is shaping up to be after an event that combined high-speed spectacle, unpredictable wind shifts and raw emotion on the water.
