Australia lead wire to wire as SailGP 2026 season opens in Fremantle

SailGP's 2026 season opened on the waters off Fremantle with Australia winning Fleet Race 1 from start to finish, setting the tone for the new championship after a seven-week break since the 2025 finale.

Perth hosted the opening event, drawing crowds to a packed shoreline where temporary grandstands lined the mouth of the Swan River. Points reset and pressure restored, the fleet was ready. The Fremantle Doctor arrived on schedule through the afternoon, building a clean south-westerly that pushed conditions beyond 25 kilometres per hour and gave the foiling fleet firm, fast racing from the opening start.

The 2026 season began with SailGP's largest fleet to date, with thirteen teams entering the championship. Among them was new entrant Artemis Racing, headed by Olympic gold medallist Nathan Outteridge. Before a race had been sailed, attrition had already arrived. Spain were ruled out of the Perth event after suffering structural damage in a heavy practice collision. Artemis lost wing trimmer Chris Draper to a facial injury sustained ahead of competition. Australia faced their own late disruption when wing trimmer Ian Jensen was ruled out injured, with Glenn Ashby flown in at short notice and stepping straight onto the boat.

With Spain sitting out, twelve boats lined up for Fleet Race 1.

Brazil were forced outside the boundary before the gun. Artemis were penalised at the start and dropped back through the fleet. The lower end of the start line proved decisive, offering the most direct route to Mark 1, and Australia timed their approach cleanly, leading into the first turn.

From that point the home team pulled clear. Stable foiling conditions and clean air let the Bonds Flying Roos extend on every leg. Canada showed good pace downwind, France tracked into the leading group, and the fleet compressed again approaching Gate 2. That compression set up the race's most significant moment.

Switzerland came in on starboard as New Zealand attempted to cross on port. The two boats struck each other hard, stopping both instantly in a collision that scattered debris across the course. Pete Burling narrowly avoided being thrown clear on impact.

Umpires ruled New Zealand had failed to keep clear and issued a disqualification. Switzerland, carrying significant structural damage, were unable to continue and retired from the race. Medical clearances were given for both crews, but neither team featured in the result.

Out front, Australia were unaffected. Ashby settled into the wing trimmer role and the team kept manoeuvres to a minimum, maintaining speed through every leg to extend their lead each time around the course.

France worked through traffic late in the race to claim second place under DS Team France branding, with Quentin Delapierre finding clear air in the closing stages. The USA finished third, Canada recovered from an early penalty to take fourth, and Emirates GBR clawed back positions on the final downwind run.

Australia crossed the line with open water between themselves and the fleet, having led from Mark 1 to the finish without being seriously threatened.

Race 1 Results