NorthStar leads every mark in Geneva as Black Foils take second

Giles Scott's Northstar Canada won the Geneva Group B opener by 27 seconds in a light, patchy breeze on Lake Geneva, while Peter Burling's Black Foils served a pumping penalty and still held second.

Canada's NorthStar SailGP Team, driven by Giles Scott, won the opening Group B race of the Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix in Geneva on Saturday, finishing 27 seconds clear of New Zealand's Black Foils. Phil Robertson's Red Bull Italy SailGP Team took third.

The breeze was as light and hard to read as the forecast had suggested and the Group B fleet started this first race off their foils. The F50s ran the 27.5-metre wing, light-air T-foils and the No. 1 jib, with crews cut to four on board and the grinders watching from the chase boats.

Due to the conditions there was none of the usual fast charge for the start line, rather a glide, a turn then across. Australia's SailGP Team – the BONDS Flying Roos – and New Zealand's SailGP team – the Black Foils – were on the line at the start gun. Behind by two seconds was Red Bull Italy, and further back again were Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team and further back, NorthStar Canada.

In front of their home crowd, the Explora Journeys Swiss SailGP Team floundered. Sébastien Schneiter’s crew were forced to turn back after picking up a penalty at the start. In the light airs, any penalty or delay proved costly. The Swiss finally crossed the start line 1 minute and 14 seconds after the gun but could not build enough speed to make any meaningful inroads into the deficit.

Coming from the back of the fleet, NorthStar Canada found an opening, built speed and worked the first leg hard in the light airs. Moving through the middle of the leading group, NorthStar gained the advantage on the approach to the first mark. They rounded five seconds ahead of the Black Foils, with the BONDS Flying Roos just 0.4 seconds further back.

Soon after the mark, the umpires penalised both the BONDS Flying Roos and the Black Foils for pumping. In these light conditions, crews cycle the daggerboards to help lift a hull and drive the boat forward, but the number of lifts allowed each minute is limited. The umpires judged both teams had exceeded that limit.

The penalties were costly. The BONDS Flying Roos took 27 seconds to serve theirs, while the Black Foils lost 26 seconds.

By the next gate, the gap has widened. Black Foils had fallen 33.4 seconds behind NorthStar Canada but importantly remained second. The BONDS Flying Roos became trapped inside the Black Foils’ line and slipped from third to fifth, rounding 56 seconds behind the leader. Dylan Fletcher’s Emirates GBR took advantage, moving from fifth to third.

At the third mark the fleet split on routes. NorthStar Canada took the right-hand side course, which provided a shorter distance but with less breeze. The Black Foils turned to the left-hand side course, the longer distance, but it offered more pressure. With the greater lift they got a hull up around the mark and had only one manoeuvre left before the finish. At this point in the race, the gap, which had held at 32 seconds at the third mark, now extended to 34 seconds at the fourth.

Behind, Red Bull Italy made late gains. Fifth at the third mark, Robertson's crew found their foils furthest from the shore at a reported 36 to 38 km/h and passed both Emirates GBR and the BONDS Flying Roos to round the last mark third.

NorthStar crossed the line in 8 minutes 7.9 seconds. It is a good start for the NorthStar Canada team. Heading into the Geneva SailGP event, they had sat sixth overall in the competition, but only achieved 10th at Valencia and needed wins. The Black Foils, 11th at Valencia, came to Geneva to find their feet and rebound back into the competition. They would be mindful that in Geneva 2025 they won the first race before finishing eighth overall. Emirates GBR, the defending champions and five points off the Grand Final cut-off coming into the weekend, will want more than fourth. BONDS Flying Roos, who lead the season standings, finished fifth.

After the fleet races are finished, the top two teams in each group advance to the event final. Group A races next, with Martine Grael at the helm of the U.S. SailGP Team in place of the injured Taylor Canfield. The Swiss have a second Group B race to recover in front of their home fans.