Germany end a nightmare Day 1 with a statement win as USA's Group B campaign unravels

Germany's Deutsche Bank team managed just two points across all three races on day one, rock bottom of Group B. On Super Sunday they produced the most complete performance of the regatta so far, leading every mark of Group B's fourth race and surviving a self-inflicted penalty to win by eight seconds. At the other end of the fleet, the US SailGP Team's push for the final unravelled in the most painful way possible, a contested late passage with Emirates GBR sending them from the thick of the fight to last, held scoreless for the first time all event.

Germany's turnaround is complete

Erik Kosegarten-Heil found the start of the day, hitting close to 90km/h out of the box and rounding the first mark with a lead measured in boat lengths rather than seconds. Germany never looked back from there, extending steadily through the middle of the race while the group behind them fought among themselves for the places.

They very nearly gave it away. Approaching the sixth mark Germany were penalised for running outside the course boundary, a mistake commentators noted they didn't need to make, since another manoeuvre was coming regardless of which side of the mark they took. They served the penalty and held on anyway, the early buffer proving just enough to see off a hard-charging DS Automobiles France by eight seconds at the flag. After a day one to forget, it was about the strongest response Germany could have asked for.

The wheels come off for Emirates GBR

Dylan Fletcher's crew looked to have exactly the result they needed. Well positioned off the start and sitting in the podium places through the first half of the race, Emirates GBR were doing everything right for a team fighting to stay in touch with the top two. Then it fell apart. GBR dropped away badly through the second half of the course, sliding as low as last at one stage before recovering to finish fifth, a result described on the broadcast as haemorrhaging exactly the points they could least afford to lose.

There's a bitter edge to it too. It was this same event twelve months ago that launched Emirates GBR's run to the SailGP season title. Now the reigning champions find themselves needing to win the final race of the group stage, and needing help from elsewhere in the fleet, just to keep alive any hope of making today's four boat final.

A costly late tangle for the US SailGP Team

For most of the race the Americans were right where they wanted to be, locked in a tight battle with Explorer Swiss for the second qualifying position. Then came the moment that undid their day. Taylor Canfield's crew came together with Emirates GBR in a contested overtaking move late in the race, right of way scrutinised and re-examined by the umpires more than once before both boats were eventually cleared. GBR came out of it in front. The US SailGP Team did not recover, sliding away to finish last of the six boats.

Switzerland's quiet reward

While the drama played out around them, Explorer Swiss simply sailed a clean, mistake-free race, working back through the fleet to finish fourth. It was enough. Combined with the US SailGP Team's collapse, it moved Sébastien Schneiter's crew level with the Americans on points for the event, and Switzerland holds the tiebreaker, putting them in the final qualifying position as things stand with one race of the group stage left to sail.

Race 4 result, Group B

Where Group B stands

Artemis Sweden sit clear at the top of Group B on 16 points after four races, Nathan Outteridge's crew the model of consistency all event. Explorer Swiss and the US SailGP Team are tied on 11 apiece for the second qualifying spot, with Switzerland holding it on the tiebreaker, and Emirates GBR sit fourth on 8, a long way back but not yet completely out of it heading into the final race of the group stage.