#SailGP SFO: Spain Soars, Australia Crashes
- Romy Kraus
- Mar 28
- 3 min read
SailGP San Francisco Delivers Drama on the Bay
As Team Spain snatched a career-defining win, Australia’s wingsail folded in the start box in a shocking collapse—turning San Francisco into the most explosive event of the season so far. Under the watchful eye of the Golden Gate Bridge, Team Spain carved its name into SailGP history this weekend, snatching a dramatic victory in San Francisco Bay and flipping the season narrative on its head. What started as a series of steady performances across the fleet races exploded into a standout final sprint, with Diego Botín and Florian Trittel steering their F50 catamaran Victoria to glory against France and Canada.
San Francisco Bay was doing the most this weekend—whipping winds, stacked crowds, and a skyline that looked made for sports documentaries. But what no one saw coming was just how wild the Oracle SailGP Grand Prix would get. Spain took a long-awaited win, Australia’s boat literally broke down during the race start, and the championship leaderboard is now wide open as the season barrels toward its final stages.
For Spain, this wasn’t just a win—it was a breakout. After a shaky start to the season, Diego Botín and Florian Trittel led Victoria, their red-and-yellow foiling beast, to first place in the Grand Final, ahead of Canada and France. With picture-perfect coordination and gutsy calls, they turned a consistent weekend into a statement finish.
“We would like to send huge energy from the Spanish team to the Aussie team. We could hear it through our comms even though we had our own race going on. We just hope everyone’s OK.”
Florian Trittel post-race, referring to the crash that shook the fleet
OK—but not unshaken. Just moments before the start of the seventh fleet race, Australia’s wingsail collapsed like a wet matchstick, slamming onto the deck in a scene that sent a jolt through the entire event. The team had to withdraw immediately, and while no one was injured, the crash was a massive hit for the league leaders.
“It was a very scary situation. Fortunately, we're all safe—that’s the first priority. Now we’ve just got to try and save the boat as best we can.”
Tom Slingsby, Driver Australian Team
Despite the DNF (did not finish), Australia retains their place at the top of the season standings—proof of their early-season dominance—but the incident has left the door open for teams like New Zealand, France, and now Spain to close the gap.
Canada hit San Francisco with serious momentum—and a new look. After clinching a massive win in Los Angeles, the squad entered the Bay repping a fresh alliance with Denmark - branded #DENADA, racing under a joint identity that featured Rockwool branding across their F50. With Denmark’s boat out of commission following a brutal crash in LA, their title sponsor wasn’t about to sit this one out. The result? A bold crossover that kept Rockwool in the race and added an extra layer of intrigue to Canada’s campaign. It was less national pride, more power move—and Canada made it clear they’re not just here for the vibes, but the podiums, finishing 2nd of the weekend behind Spain.
The next stop is Rio de Janeiro in early May, where anticipation is building for the debut of the Brazilian team, helmed by Olympic sailing legend Martine Grael. But she’s clear: it’s not just about racing fast—it’s about changing the game. “Nobody is pushing limits to crash on purpose,” she said of recent events. “We're always trying to play on the safe side.”
With only a few events left in the season, SailGP is dialled to chaos mode. The Bay delivered the drama. Now, the race heads to Brazil—with cracked hulls, bruised egos, and a whole new energy.