Swiss go from last to first on home water as Group B race times out

Sébastien Schneiter's crew led every mark in a fading Lake Geneva breeze and were the only boat to finish inside the 16-minute limit.

The Explora Journeys Swiss SailGP Team won Group B's second race of the Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix in front of their home crowd, the same afternoon they finished last in their first attempt. Sébastien Schneiter's crew were ahead from the first mark until they crossed the finish line in 15 minutes 34.2 seconds, the only boat inside the 16-minute cap. The BONDS Flying Roos SailGP Team were awarded second and New Zealand's Black Foils SailGP Team third.

A problem with the first mark delayed the start and sent the fleet back out of the box to reposition. This time the crews crossed the line, one hull out of the water, the other in. Red Bull Italy SailGP Team started right at the line, but their approach was too slow, and they did not have enough momentum to maintain pace with the rest of the fleet, and they finished last. Schneiter, who crossed 74 seconds late in Race 1, was one second behind the gun this time, level with the BONDS Flying Roos. Both teams had more momentum and took advantage of the speed they had gained. The Kiwis were centre but too far back and not enough speed to be up in the front.

Wing trimmer Arnaud Psarofaghis worked the wing’s hydraulics on the approach, helping the Swiss build enough speed to be completely foiling into the first mark. They rounded in front and emerged from the turn on one hull, popping the wing late to induce heel and keep the boat moving.

In comparison, NorthStar Canada, winners of Race 1 and third at the mark, took the same turn with both hulls in the water. Their manoeuvre was slower and more cumbersome by comparison.

The BONDS Flying Roos were second at every mark, and their gap to the Swiss stretched from 9.8 seconds at the first to 49 seconds at the DP World gate. Behind them the Black Foils made the most ground, from fifth at the first mark to third at the second, passing NorthStar Canada and the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team on the way. Lisa Darmanin, reporting from the water, told us the streaky breeze looked best offshore, and that's where Peter Burling and Liv Mackay went. NorthStar went in towards the shore, where there was less wind. The Black Foils were out of position coming into the third gate and still held third.

The breeze eased from 10.2km/h at the start to 8.2km/h by the finish. With an extra leg added, the fleet rounded five marks, compared with four in Race 1.

The wing trimmers were working hard by hand. Psarofaghis repeatedly hauled the wing in and released it, effectively fanning it to maintain airflow. Emirates GBR’s Stuart Bithell was doing the same.

Near the third gate, the BONDS Flying Roos tried to lift onto the foils, but could not generate enough speed.

Every race is capped at 16 minutes. And a race can only be scored once the fleet has cleared the third gate. Any boat still racing when the time limit expired would be placed according to the last gate it had completed.

The BONDS Flying Roos rounded the final mark with less than a second remaining but never reached the finish line. Given that the Swiss had rounded 84 seconds earlier and then took another 59.6 seconds to reach the finish, it would seem the BONDS Flying Roos would not cross the finish line in time. The Swiss, the only team to actually cross the finish line were greeted by the sound of cowbells along the shoreline.

NorthStar and Emirates GBR were locked together at the bottom gate, and Giles Scott could be heard saying he had the wheel turned as far as it would go. NorthStar Canada rounded the fourth mark 2.6 seconds ahead of Emirates GBR, and the umpires ruled no penalty seven seconds after the race was terminated.

After Group B's second race, the Black Foils and NorthStar Canada are level on seven points each at the top of Group B. Only the top two in each group will make the final, so with the current standings that will place the BONDS Flying Roos and Explora Journeys Swiss, both on five points each, and Emirates GBR and Red Bull Italy out.

None of last year's five Geneva races went the Swiss way, and their best finish was second, so this is their first race win at the event. One Group B race remains today and two tomorrow before the final.