BONDS Flying Roos lead every mark as Black Foils come from last to fourth

Tom Slingsby's crew won the last Group B race of the day by 1 minute 13 seconds, while Peter Burling's Black Foils passed two boats on the final leg to stay overall second in the group.

The BONDS Flying Roos SailGP Team of Australia won Group B's third race of the Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix in Geneva on Saturday. Ahead of the fleet throughout the entire race, they finished 1 minute 13.2 seconds clear of the second-placed team, Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team. The Explora Journeys Swiss SailGP Team took third. New Zealand's Black Foils SailGP Team, last at every mark, found themselves in fourth, ahead of Red Bull Italy SailGP Team and NorthStar SailGP Team.

With the previous race taking more than 16 minutes in the light conditions, the course was shortened before the start from six marks to five.

Behind the start line, the Black Foils were outmanoeuvred by the BONDS Flying Roos and became pinned in the middle of the fleet. With the course shortened, Slingsby took advantage of their position in the middle of the lane, crossing the start line first. The remainder of Group B fleet were a little slower off the mark. Emirates GBR and NorthStar followed one second later, Red Bull Italy three seconds back and Switzerland seven.

It took Burling time to find their feet again; the Black Foils did not cross the line until 18 seconds after the gun. By then, they were already 11 seconds behind the rest of the fleet. Thirty seconds into the race, Red Bull Italy and Switzerland both picked up penalties.

Once over the start line, Slingsby took the outside line, the faster angle away from the wind, and rounded the first mark 8.7 seconds ahead of Giles Scott's NorthStar. Red Bull Italy followed, then Emirates GBR and the Swiss, with the Black Foils 36.4 seconds back in last.

NorthStar had committed to a left turn at the DP World gate, which meant two manoeuvres, forcing them into fourth by the time they reached it. Also to the left were Emirates GBR who went even further out, away from the shore. They gained the most ground on that leg, lifting themselves from fourth to second.

Then the breeze dropped to 7.7 km/h across the course, but conditions remained gusty. Those who took advantage of the gusts made the most ground. On the upwind leg a gust lifted a hull on Dylan Fletcher's boat clear of the water, while NorthStar, off to the right, lost ground allowing the Swiss to pass. The course was shortened again at the point, from five marks to four marks. Due to the timing of the shortened course, the BONDS found themselves with only one turn to make, to the left and then the finish, which they reached at nearly 20 km/h. They'd taken one point from Race 1 and four from Race 2. It's their second race win at Geneva, after last year's crawling Race 2.

Red Bull Italy were third at the fourth mark, with NorthStar Canada fifth. Both picked up penalties inside the final two minutes. At the last gate, Race 2 winners Switzerland came through on the inside with right of way. The Canadians penalised in the exchange.

Italy were also serving their penalty as Switzerland and the Black Foils closed from behind. However, with Red Bull Italy and NorthStar Canada directly ahead, neither could slow enough to allow the Black Foils through before the finish. Switzerland crossed third, while the Black Foils finished fourth after the penalties to Italy and NorthStar. NorthStar Canada crossed last.

BONDS lead Group B on 10 points, the Black Foils have nine and the Swiss eight. Emirates GBR and NorthStar sit just behind them, and Red Bull Italy are on four. The top two in each group reach the final, which today means BONDS and the Black Foils. Emirates GBR, five points off the Grand Final cut-off before the weekend, must make Sunday's final to keep their Abu Dhabi hopes alive.

Group A has raced twice to Group B's three and will catch up on Sunday. Day one produced five races and five different winners.