Tomorrow's sailing in Abu Dhabi closes out the 2025 SailGP Championship season, but it carries its own weight as a standalone event. All twelve teams will contest three fleet races on Saturday and another three on Sunday, and those points feed directly into the season leaderboard rather than determining a separate set of finalists. The Grand Final berths belong to whichever teams have accumulated the most across the whole year, not just whoever performs best this weekend.
That distinction sharpens the stakes. A team could sail strongly in Abu Dhabi and still find itself on the outside looking in, while a single poor result from any of the frontrunners could be enough to cost them a top-three finish on the season. For New Zealand, Great Britain, Australia and Spain, every leg of every one of those six races will have consequences.
New Zealand arrive carrying an additional complication.
Peter Burling confirmed during the day that he cut the end of his index finger in training. His own description, characteristically understated, was "a tiny bit off the end," though the injury was enough to rule him out of practice. Liv Mackay will take the helm through the warm-up sessions while the team manages Burling carefully ahead of race one, and whether he will be fully fit for the start line tomorrow remains an open question.
The Black Foils have built genuine depth through the squad across this season, and Mackay stepping onto the wheel fits that approach even if the circumstances are far from ideal. Burling brushed aside any suggestion of concern, as he typically does.
“These things can happen to anyone throughout the season, and you’ve got to be able to deal with them. We’re doing everything we can to be ready,” — Peter Burling
New Zealand's record in this part of the world offers some reassurance. The Black Foils have never lost a SailGP event in the UAE. With a soft forecast expected and the fleet racing under the new 27.5-metre wing, history alone will not be enough, but it is a foundation to build on.
One familiar name adds a Kiwi thread to the Italian camp this weekend, though he has no bearing on the 2025 title race. Phil Robertson, the Auckland-born driver, lines up with Red Bull Italy for the first time and is expected to race tomorrow. He has joined the squad for the 2026 season, which opens in Perth, and Abu Dhabi gives him an early opportunity to get a feel for the boat, build understanding with his new crewmates, and settle into the programme before that campaign gets under way.
Italy cannot reach this year's Grand Final, which removes any pressure on the standings and makes the weekend a useful orientation exercise rather than a high-stakes debut. For a sailor known for sharp starts and quick decision-making, stepping into a new team without a championship on the line is about as good an introduction as he could hope for.
At the top of the season standings, Dylan Fletcher's Emirates GBR hold the lead, though the revised format offers no protection. The six fleet races here will either add to their buffer or allow a rival to close the gap. Fletcher pointed to steady improvements throughout the year and to the strength of his working relationship with strategist Hannah Mills as reasons for confidence.
The position looks solid from the outside, but the margins across the top of the table remain tight enough that composure will matter as much as boat speed.
Australia, sailing under the Bonds Flying Roos banner, are firmly in contention. Tom Slingsby spoke openly about the effort his crew has invested this season in improving their performance in lighter air, with strategist Chris Draper playing a significant role in shaping the team's approach. The result is a more balanced, more complete outfit than the Australians have fielded in earlier seasons.
Slingsby named Spain as the team that concerns him most, which speaks to how thin the gaps are across the contenders. He also suggested the team now enjoys stronger backing under its new ownership structure, making it easier to retain talent and bring in new sailors when required. Australia have a reliable habit of delivering under pressure, and that reputation remains intact heading into the final weekend.
Spain sit just behind the leaders but are very much alive in the race for the top three. Diego Botín remained measured when speaking ahead of the racing, though that restraint is unlikely to fool anyone in the fleet. Spain won last year's Grand Final and were the first team to put the new 27.5-metre wing through its paces this season, giving them a base of experience that could count for a lot.
Their path is straightforward: perform well across the six fleet races, protect their season tally, and reach the Grand Final. Once there, they are as capable as anyone of taking the title. Slingsby put it directly:
“If I’m honest — the one I’d least like on my hammer is Diego.”
With the revised championship format placing the weight of the whole season behind the final weekend, Abu Dhabi becomes the place where everything is confirmed rather than the place where everything is decided. For the four teams fighting for three spots in the Grand Final, each start, each shift and each crossing carries real consequences.
New Zealand must manage Burling's injury without letting it disrupt their rhythm. Great Britain must protect a lead that is real but not comfortable. Australia must turn a well-prepared campaign into points on the board. Spain must produce one more disciplined weekend to secure their place at the final table.
Six fleet races will determine the order. Three teams will advance to the Grand Final. One race will produce a champion.
The Black Foils may be carrying a bruise into the weekend, but they are very much in contention, and in the UAE they remain the team no one in the top three wants to meet if the racing comes down to a final showdown.
