SailGP Sydney: Canada SailGP Team’s Kiwi driver Phil Robertson paints colourful expectations for Sydney regatta

As SailGP returns to a venue with some decent breeze, Kiwi helmsman Phil Robertson has painted a colourful picture of what athlete and fan expectations should be.

The global foiling league saw several light-wind events contested over its European and Middle East legs, with the most recent events in Dubai and Abu Dhabi particularly light.

That won’t be the case in Sydney this weekend, with a good breeze expected for racing today.

“It’s definitely big boy pants weather,” Robertson said.

“It’s going to be on. From what I’ve seen it’s going to be a big day. You’ve got to bring your brown undies and buckle up because it’s going to be a wild ride.”

Robertson, who steers the boat for the Canadian SailGP Team, has been a good performer in breezy events in the past and drove his team to victory during the New Zealand SailGP regatta last year.

Coming into this weekend, however, Robertson and had crew had ground to make up as they sat eighth in the standings with 37 points. Had they not been docked four points from the season standings for an incident during the regatta in France late last year, they could be as high as sixth.

Regardless, they sit six points back from third-placed USA as the race to the Grand Final hits the business end. Australia leads the competition with 56 points, with New Zealand second on 50.

“I’m happy where we’re at,” Robertson said. “We’re in a position where we can throw punches, so let’s go.”

Robertson, who was voted the most aggressive driver in the league in an anonymous poll conducted among the athletes before January’s event in Abu Dhabi, said returning to good breeze and high-action racing would change nothing in his approach.

“I don’t think you can change someone that easily. The coach is trying to breed a new Phil and he’s doing a good job, but I’m a fighter,” he said.

“I’ve grown up having to fight for every inch and every position in every team. That’s my attitude and that’s how, I guess, it comes across on the racecourse. That’s what I’ve been born to do and here I am.”

While he isn’t driving for the New Zealand team, Robertson will be the only Kiwi driving in this weekend’s event after Peter Burling was ruled out due to parental leave.

Australian Nathan Outteridge, who works with Burling and the Kiwi crew as a co-helmsman in Team New Zealand’s America’s Cup campaign, will take the wheel in Burling’s place.

Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.