Please select your home edition
Edition
Rooster 2025

Great Britain SailGP Team finish third after consistent racing in Chicago

by GBR SailGP Team 20 Jun 2022 05:13 BST 18-19 June 2022
Great Britain SailGP Team helmed by Ben Ainslie sails past the Chicago skyline and Navy Pier on Race Day 1 of the T-Mobile United States Sail Grand Prix | Chicago at Navy Pier © Ricardo Pinto for SailGP

The Great Britain SailGP Team finished in a strong third place, with Chicago delivering stunning racing for the second event of SailGP Season 3. The final day of the T-Mobile United States Sail Grand Prix saw lighter conditions (an average of 15-20km/h winds) with all nine teams using the biggest and most powerful 29M WING sails.

After securing three podium finishes in the opening day the British Team, skippered by Ben Ainslie, again sailed a very consistent series on day two to qualify for the top 3 -boat winner-takes all podium final with a race to spare.

Australia meanwhile had to finish in the top two of the final fleet race, with New Zealand at the back of the fleet to make it in to the final. Australia won, New Zealand finished 8th meaning it was a repeat of the season opener in Bermuda, with the final top 3 qualifying for the Podium race: Canada, Great Britain, and Australia.

With the sea breeze finally kicking in, GBR positioned themselves for their favoured inside end of the line. AUS was fighting for the same space, but were blocked and decided to go for speed instead, nailing the start. GBR were just a second late and trailed the CAN and AUS at the first mark.

GBR opted for an early gybe, but ended up having to take two manoeuvres to their competitors one. There was no way back on the tight light breeze track, Tom Slingsby went on to take the Podium Final win and make it two from two so far this season.

Canada skippered by NZL's Phil Robertson secured the runners up spot meaning GBR and CAN are tied second on 17 points on the Season 3 overall leaderboard, with AUS 3 points ahead on the top spot.

Driver and CEO of the Great Britain SailGP Team said:

"Good and bad day for the team, great to get into the podium final which is goal number one, but we didn't quite get it right at the start. It was tight with the Aussies they pipped us at the start and we also ended up behind Canada, and in these conditions it was always going to be hard to make gains.

"Overall, happy with the performance of the team and next up home waters in Plymouth where we look forward to putting on a show for our home crowd"

Next up, SailGP Season 3 resumes in the British team's home event, the Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Plymouth, on 30/31 July with the British team hoping to secure their first Grand Prix event win of the season in front of home fans.

Related Articles

Jon Holt's surprise F50 ride
Emirates GBR SailGP Team take London schoolteacher out for a spin Sir Ben Ainslie's Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix Team and BBC's The One Show teamed up to surprise a London schoolteacher with a once-in-a-lifetime experience on-board their F50 race boat. Posted on 5 Sep
Like a Phoenix from the Ashes, Emirates GBR Rise
Securing a podium spot in Sassnitz The final day of the Germany Sail Grand Prix came after a long night of repairs, as the SailGP Tech Team and the Emirates GBR shore crew worked against the clock to fix the British F50. The boat had suffered a large hole in the port hull. Posted on 17 Aug
Race Against Time After USA Collide With GBR
Tech Team working overnight on repairs in a bid to have Emirates GBR ready to race Emirates GBR face a race against time to be ready for the second day of the inaugural Germany Sail Grand Prix, after Taylor Canfield's USA SailGP Team collided with their F50 race boat in a port-starboard, mid-fleet incident. Posted on 16 Aug
Emirates GBR preparing to bring their A-Game
For SailGP's Germany debut this weekend Following a successful home event in Portsmouth last month, Emirates GBR is back in action this weekend at the Germany Sail Grand Prix in Sassnitz. The event marks the Rolex SailGP Championship's debut in Germany. Posted on 15 Aug
Emirates GBR secures podium result
In front of sell-out crowd in Portsmouth The Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team has secured its fourth podium result of the 2025 Season in front of a sell-out crowd at its home event in Portsmouth. Posted on 20 Jul
Emirates GBR top the leaderboard
On day one of the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix Home team Emirates GBR is top of the leaderboard after day one of the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Portsmouth. The British crew, driven by Olympic gold medallist Dylan Fletcher, delighted the 10,000 fans on Southsea Common. Posted on 19 Jul
Mark Wright & Jamie Redknapp sail the F50
Joining the Emirates GBR SailGP Team on-board ahead of the Portsmouth SailGP event Mark Wright and Jamie Redknapp joined Emirates GBR on-board the team's F50 race boat ahead of the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Portsmouth this weekend. Posted on 19 Jul
Emirates GBR ready for battle
As SailGP's fast and furious racing returns to UK shores this weekend The Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix takes place in Portsmouth on 19/20 July, with 20,000 fans expected to line the shore at Southsea Common to witness 12 national teams compete in identical foiling 50ft catamarans. Posted on 17 Jul
Sir Ben Ainslie's SailGP team lands in London
Countdown to Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix | Portsmouth begins With just one month to go until SailGP returns to UK shores, Sir Ben Ainslie's Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team, including Dylan Fletcher MBE, Hannah Mills OBE and Ellie Aldridge MBE, brought a taste of the action to the capital. Posted on 19 Jun
Emirates GBR disappointed with New York result
But hoping to get back on the podium in Portsmouth Emirates GBR Driver Dylan Fletcher said the team was "disappointed" with their result at the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix, but was hoping to "get back on the podium" at their home event, the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Portsmouth. Posted on 9 Jun