France won their first SailGP of the year on Sunday as Quentin Delapierre’s team took the Germany Sail Grand Prix, beating out a three-boat duel in the calm waters off Sassnitz.
France held their composure in a thrilling finale, which came down to the last metres. Australia and Britain finished second and third, respectively.
In the fifth thrilling season of Sail GP, the French used bold tactics and precision to maintain their foiling speeds while their competitors struggled keep up.
Delapierre said, “It is an amazing feeling” after he won his first event since the third season.
It’s been awhile since we’ve won a Grand Prix. That’s an awesome feeling. It was a very shaky race, but we enjoyed it.
It was really good fun. A good game with the pressure and the shifts. It will be a great memory.
France won the SailGP Germany title with flawless execution.
After a collision on Saturday with the U.S. crew, Dylan Fletcher and his British crew were forced to withdraw from the race in Sassnitz. However, they returned to the starting line after overnight repairs.
Brazil did not compete in the Grand Prix after the collision on Friday with France. Delapierre was sent to the hospital for a check-up and their preparations were disrupted.
New Zealand and Australia are tied at the top of the table with 61 points each. Britain is third with 58.
The next round will be held in Saint-Tropez on September 12-13. (Reporting and editing by Ken Ferris in Gdansk, with Tommy Lund reporting from Gdansk)
(source: Reuters)