Five things you need to know about the Spain Sail Grand Prix in Valencia
A brand-new racecourse, a home crowd desperate to see Los Gallos deliver, and a championship battle entering its decisive phase. As the SailGP fleet heads to Valencia, some teams are looking hot, some are not, and every point is starting to matter. Here are five things to watch this weekend.
**Can anyone stop the Bonds Flying Roos?**
Tom Slingsby's team arrive in Valencia having won five events this season, including the most recent Grand Prix in Sassnitz, and their grip on the Rolex SailGP Championship keeps tightening. The real question now is whether anyone can actually live with the Australians over the final four events.
That said, despite a 20-point lead over fourth-placed USA, they are not mathematically guaranteed a spot in the season-deciding Grand Final just yet. Unlikely as it seems, a disastrous run through the final events combined with a strong charge from one of the chasing teams could still see the Australians miss out.
**Vamos Los Gallos**
If you're a fan of Los Gallos, this weekend is huge. Diego Botín, Florian Trittel and the rest of the crew get to race in front of a packed home crowd, as Valencia takes over from Cadiz as host of the Spain Sail Grand Prix.
Los Gallos have shown they can win under pressure, with victories already banked in Halifax and Portsmouth. A home triumph would be quite the story.
Interestingly, though, their record on home water is patchy by their own high standards. They have never made a Final in Spain.
**The championship fight is getting serious**
With only three events remaining after Valencia, every point suddenly carries more weight. The teams chasing the Bonds Flying Roos cannot afford a mediocre weekend, while the Australians have the luxury of protecting a lead rather than chasing one.
The real battle right now is for third in the championship standings. The teams sitting fourth to seventh, Emirates GBR, the U.S., DS Team France and NorthStar, are separated by just six points.
**What happens to Emirates GBR?**
The reigning champions have had a rough run, struggling through Halifax, Portsmouth and Sassnitz, and now face a rapidly closing championship window. Valencia is one of the last real chances for Dylan Fletcher's team to rediscover the consistency that made them champions last season.
Unfortunately for the Brits, it is no longer simply about defending the title. It is about beating the likes of NorthStar, France and the U.S. just to earn a shot at the Grand Final.
**Welcome to a brand-new racecourse**
Nobody has raced an F50 in Valencia before. The city has serious sailing pedigree, but SailGP's tight, high-speed stadium racing will bring a completely new challenge to the venue.
SailGP weather guru Chris Bedford is picking a lighter weekend compared to previous Grands Prix. That alone could shuffle the fleet considerably, and with the championship this tight, a shuffle is all it might take.
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