Advantage Emirates GBR Ahead Of Grand Final After Spain Win
Read what unfolded on Day 2 of the DP World Spain Sail Grand Prix in Cádiz
Published 10/5/2025
It’s advantage Emirates GBR ahead of next month’s Mubadala SailGP Grand Final in Abu Dhabi after Dylan Fletcher’s crew claimed their third event win of the season in Cádiz.
The Brits refused to let a start box penalty in the Final deny them, emerging victorious at the DP World Spain Sail Grand Prix by finishing ahead of New Zealand and Germany SailGP Team presented by Deutsche Bank.
It was a weekend to forget for the BONDS Flying Roos who slipped from 1st to 3rd in the Championship standings after finishing 7th overall, just two points ahead of the U.S. SailGP Team. Taylor Canfield and the Crew built on finishes of 3-12-11-6 on Saturday by going 8-5-4 on Super Sunday.
The Emirates GBR SailGP Team celebrate winning the DP World Spain Sail Grand Prix
With more wind than on Saturday, the fleet moved to a five up configuration - sacrificing a single grinder - while utilizing the 24m all-purpose wing, J1 jib, light-air T-foils and rudders.
Hosts Los Gallos needed a big day after struggling on Saturday and they managed just that in Race 5.
Chasing the BONDS Flying Roos and New Zealand at Mark 1, the Spanish went right at Gate One as the other two went left. By Gate Three, they had overtaken the Black Foils and never looked back, while maintaining a 100% flight time.
For the U.S. SailGP Team, a battling effort saw them climb from 11th into 8th to put another three points on the board.
In Race 6, Quentin Delapierre and France hit the top of the line at pace to start and that gave them an advantage they never looked liked relinquishing. Emirates GBR and Germany SailGP Team presented by Deutsche Bank were close behind, but Les Bleus were in control and eased to victory.
The SailGP fleet in action near Cádiz at the DP World Spain Sail Grand Prix
Further back, the U.S. SailGP Team was comfortable in 5th while big hitters Los Gallos and the BONDS Flying Roos struggled to get going in 7th and 8th respectively – potentially damaging finishes for their Final chances.
Perhaps the most dramatic race was saved for last, though. The BONDS Flying Roos were hit with a boundary penalty in the start box as NorthStar Canada, Mubadala Brazil and Germany Deutsche Bank started well.
But the Canadians, having led the whole way round the course, erred ahead of Mark 5 and that enabled Martine Grael and Brazil to nip in and and seize their second fleet race victory of the season.
New Zealand just did enough to pip ROCKWOOL Denmark to the Final after Nicolai Sehested’s crew suffered a nightmare Race 7 to finish 4th overall in the fleet race points.
For the U.S. SailGP Team, a strong weekend concluded with a 4th-place finish to go 3-12-11-6-8-5-4 overall.
The Final proved a closely fought affair with Emirates GBR this time penalized in the start box. But Fletcher’s crew took their 20m penalty and regrouped.
The U.S. SailGP Team finished the weekend by going 8-5-4 in Cádiz
Sprint leaders New Zealand just had the advantage until the final mark when Great Britain dramatically dove under the Black Foils to take control and cross the finish line in 1st. The Kiwis took second with ever-improving Germany 3rd.
After a tough event on home waters, Los Gallos are four points back from 3rd-placed Australia in the Rolex SailGP Championship standings with it all to do in Abu Dhabi before the Grand Final on Sunday, November 30.
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