Spain's Los Gallos wins Rio Fleet Race 2 as GBR penalty loop costs again

Diego Botin and Los Gallos Spain made an immediate statement under their new ownership, winning the second fleet race in Rio by nine seconds from Artemis Sweden to take maximum points on a day the new owners will not forget in a hurry.

The afternoon told a grimmer story for Emirates GBR. A prestart penalty cost Fletcher's crew dearly from the opening moment, forcing them into a penalty loop while the rest of the fleet charged away toward the first mark. They fought their way back into contention, but the damage inflicted at the gun could not be fully undone. A protest lodged shortly after the start offered no consolation, the hearing ending in dismissal.

Los Gallos hit the front at mark one and controlled the race from there. Sweden and Germany stayed in contact through the early legs, the three of them gradually pulling away from the rest of the fleet. Rounding mark two, Sweden sat 24 seconds behind Spain with Germany a further 13 seconds back at 37 seconds. Behind the leading trio, the US, GBR, Switzerland, Italy and Australia were all bunched within roughly 70 seconds of Los Gallos at mark three, the standings still very much unsettled.

Spain removed any doubt shortly after. By mark four Germany had fallen 14 seconds behind the leader and Sweden 19, and the outcome at the front was no longer seriously in question.

The real battle in the closing stages unfolded around fourth place. The US, GBR and Canada were separated by just 17 seconds at mark five, the Americans narrowly ahead at 1:07 behind Los Gallos, with GBR at 1:12 and Canada a further 15 seconds adrift. That order held all the way to the finish line. USA came home fourth, Canada fifth and GBR sixth.

Italy and Australia crossed the line seventh and eighth, only three seconds separating them at mark five and barely more at the finish. Italy arrived 2:25 behind Los Gallos, with Australia 2:31 back.

France, Switzerland and Denmark completed the fleet in ninth, tenth and eleventh, Denmark finishing last among the finishers at three and a half minutes off the pace. Brazil was again DNS. GBR, who had retired from Race 1, at least made it to the finish line this time.

Guanabara Bay's tight and shifty conditions sparked a flurry of protest activity as the race concluded. Sweden filed two protests, Canada one, Switzerland two and GBR one. Not one of them resulted in a penalty.

Los Gallos bank ten points and their new owners have a result worth celebrating. Sweden's second place keeps them firmly in the mix, while fourth for the US and fifth for Canada represent workable scores heading into the remaining fleet races.

For GBR, sixth is a modest recovery from the zero they collected in Race 1, but two races into the day Fletcher's team carries a retirement and a sixth. Whatever cushion they held at the top of the standings, it is getting thinner. Two more fleet races remain before Sunday's final.

Race points

Rio Fleet Race 2 results

Fleet race total results after Fleet Race 2