Day 1 of the Mubadala New York SailGP has so far delivered a tale of two races. If Race 1 was about patience and precision, Race 2 was anything but. With drizzle falling steadily across the Hudson and wind conditions continuing to falter, the second race of the day proved brutal for some and transformative for others.
Australia took a commanding win, Brazil made history with their best-ever finish, and New Zealand’s Black Foils were left floundering at the back of the fleet, unable to recover from an early misstep.
Australia dominates from the gun
The Australian team, still wearing the psychological scars of their wing failure in San Francisco, came out firing. They crossed the line first and led at every gate. But their win wasn’t without tension—most notably at Gate 3 where a razor-thin cross with Brazil nearly ended in disaster. The Australians picked up a penalty for the near-miss, briefly giving Brazil a shot at leading.
Despite the call, Australia’s pace never faltered. Even with the penalty turn, they regained the lead and held it all the way to the finish. Clocking in at 11 minutes and 38 seconds, they were the only team to stay reliably foiling from start to end—a masterclass in momentum sailing.
Brazil breaks through
The most eye-catching performance came from Brazil. Often off the radar in previous SailGP events, Martine Grael’s crew handled the low breeze with clinical efficiency. Their brief stint in the lead was historic—marking their first serious contention for a race win in this series.
What stood out was not just their placement, but how they got there: smart tactics, steady lines, and avoiding the chaos that derailed others. While they eventually ceded the top spot back to the Australians, Brazil’s second place finish at 12 minutes and 15 seconds is a sign they’re finally finding their groove.
New Zealand off the boil
By contrast, New Zealand had a race to forget. After a promising second place in Race 1, the Black Foils slipped to the back almost immediately and never recovered. Their four-person crew (yes, between race 1 and 2 we added an extra person to the on-water team)—Peter Burling, Blair Tuke, Leo Takahashi, and Liv Mackay—struggled to keep the boat foiling as the breeze faded and chop increased.
Gate 4 was the turning point. A slow, wide manoeuvre appeared to knock them off their foils entirely. From there, it was damage control. They limped to the finish in 11th, behind Spain, Italy, and Canada.
A race of attrition
By the closing minutes of the race, conditions had deteriorated so badly that half the fleet struggled to cross the final gate. France held on for third, but several boats—including the U.S. and Switzerland—lost flight entirely and timed out.
If anything, Race 2 exposed how finely balanced the performance margin is in light-air SailGP sailing. A moment’s hesitation, an awkward turn, or a puff missed can mean the difference between first and last.
Looking ahead
New York’s tricky weather continues to play a key role in this leg of the series. Australia has reaffirmed their dominance. Brazil is suddenly a contender. New Zealand has work to do. With more racing to come in Race 3 and then a second day of racing tomorrow, the leaderboard is anything but settled.
But one thing is clear: in conditions like these, no lead is ever safe.
