SailGP Switzerland: Black Foils start fast, finish slow in opening day on Lake Geneva

On a day of slow sailing in Switzerland, the Black Foils have put themselves in the hunt.

SailGP’s first visit to the European nation was always likely to serve up some unique challenges as the 12-team fleet descended upon Lake Geneva.

What they were met with were light conditions that saw them have to compete with just three sailors on board – down from their usual six-strong configuration when the breeze is strong, while four-person configurations are often seen when the wind is lighter. The day also saw the new light-wind foils in use, which appeared to have the desired effect.

For the Black Foils, it was a day that started superbly and got progressively worse as they finished the three races sitting fifth on the event leaderboard.

The New Zealand team won the first race, before finishing fifth and 11th to accumulate 16 points – two off a spot in the top three.

The hunt for the podium positions is a tight one, with just three points separating third and seventh. Australia led the way with 25 points, from Great Britain on 23 and Switzerland on 18.

It was a dream start for the Black Foils, who lined up deep in the starting box for race one and timed their run perfectly. Sweeping around the rest of the fleet, they hit the starting line at speed and shot away at the first marker.

It was a near-perfect race from driver Peter Burling, wing trimmer Blair Tuke and flight controller Leo Takahashi, as they navigated their way around a tricky course to finish how they started.

They tried a similar starting tactic in the second race, but couldn’t pull it off and started at the back of the pack. While it looked like it would be a disastrous result through the early stages of the race, the Kiwi crew were able to salvage fifth place after some late moves through the fleet.

Almost the reverse happened in the final race of the day. The Black Foils made a solid start, but struggled to stay on the foils after making their first manoeuvre and were quickly kicked to the back of the fleet.

After being among the first five teams over the starting line, they could only manage an 11th-placed finish. With only the top 10 getting points from each race, it was a performance that did their event hopes no favours.

Another tough day is forecast for the regatta tomorrow, with similar conditions awaiting the teams as they vie for the event title.

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