Taylor: We’re Taking Great Steps In Breezey Conditions
U.S. SailGP Team driver Taylor Canfield writes between the double-header
Published 02/24/2026
I’m in Miami between the New Zealand Sail and Sydney Grands Prix with heavy snow preventing my return to the East Coast before heading to Australia where we’re expecting slightly different conditions!
Auckland probably wasn’t our best showing in terms of results - a step back from Perth - but overall, I think it was a pretty successful event. Around the track, we were actually better a lot of the time in Auckland than we were in Perth, so we’ve made progress in that sense.
We just missed a few moments around the racetrack - simple, silly things - that put us on the back foot a few times and, in reality, counted us out of the finals.
What was pleasing and disappointing in equal measure was how close we came to making the Final. Had Sunday’s points counted as usual, we’d have been a single point away from the top three.
So it came down to the two penalties we had during the event - one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Those were quite costly. But looking back on the weekend, I think we made another great step forward in sailing the boat in the breeze and in windier conditions.
We’re really happy with how we’re progressing – our boat handling is probably our biggest step forward.
But, focusing on the positives, it was our first win as a group and our first race win of the season, so it was good to tick those boxes. It gives us confidence that we can do it and motivates us for the future. We put together a really great race in the final one, and it shows that when we sail to the best of our abilities, we’re competing at the top.
READ THE REPORT FROM AUCKLAND
We can’t not talk about Saturday’s collision between New Zealand and France, though. It was a really scary moment for everyone out there. I can’t even imagine how the French and Kiwis felt.
In the end, the most important thing is that everyone is okay for the most part. It sounds like those who were injured are healing up nicely. Our hearts go out to the people on those teams who were hurt and I want to wish Louis and Manon both full and speedy recoveries.
It was definitely an eye-opening moment for all of us. There’s been a lot of discussion about how we can make things safer on these tight racetracks.
Auckland is a pretty tight racetrack. With the full fleet, it was probably a bit more condensed, so making the change to split-fleet racing on Sunday opened up the track a little – I think it was a good step.
We knew it was going to be tight coming into Auckland. The name of the game is getting out in that front group, because once you’re in the front pack, you can maneuver where you want. That was a nice step we made - being confident enough to throw the boat around and make the tough decisions.
Getting better in these big breeze conditions is a combination of pushing the boat hard when we get practice time and putting the work in between events. We’re making sure we’re super dialed in, that our comms are well sorted, and the boat is set up properly for different conditions.
Overall, I think the crew is due credit for continuing to gel, everyone being on the same page and doing their jobs really well. It’s onto Sydney now and we’re looking to continue to build on these foundations and pick up more points.
Speak soon,
Taylor
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