Slingsby needs to 'steady the ship' at Range Rover St Tropez SailGP
by Olivia Hogan / Australia SailGP Team 10 Sep 2022 01:34 BST
10-11 September 2022
The Great Britain SailGP Team, Australia SailGP Team, New Zealand SailGP Team and Canada SailGP Team gather as the Union flag is lowered to half-mast at the Great Britain SailGP Team hangar following the announcement of the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II © Jon Buckle/SailGP
Tom Slingsby is focused on steering his Australian SailGP Team back onto the winning path this weekend in St Tropez, after acknowledging that the team’s performance has slipped at recent events.
Australia Driver and CEO Tom Slingsby said: “Our results have been dropping a little and we really do need to right the ship. We need to have a good result here and get back onto the podium.”
The team has recently faced pressure from fellow competing nations during racing, with team’s taking the opportunity to push Slingsby out of his dominant position. The most recent instance saw the French Team pull a penalty on the Australians during the final race day of the Denmark Sail Grand Prix, a move which took the Aussies out of the final.
Slingsby said: “There is a reason these drivers are here, they are ruthless sailors. It’s the game we play and I would do the exact same thing to take out my competition.”
Prior to the team’s final practice, the Great Britain SailGP Team stood alongside Slingsby’s Australia Team and other team’s representing the Commonwealth nations to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The teams’ held a three minute silence at the tech base in Saint Tropez, with all team flags flying at half mast.
Slingsby said: “It meant alot to stand in solidarity with our fellow Commonwealth teams and pay our respects and commemorate Queen Elizabeth’s extraordinary life and dedicated service from Saint Tropez.”
Great Britain Driver and CEO Sir Ben Ainslie said: “It was a wonderful moment earlier today that we had three minutes of silence with the Commonwealth teams, and I want to thank those teams for joining us in that moment of remembrance. In the days and weeks to come we hope the sorrow turns to celebration of an incredible life - perhaps the most incredible life that’s ever been lived.”
Racing will commence today in Saint-Tropez between 10:30PM- 12:00AM AEST, with the final race day taking place on Sunday. Australian fans can tune in live on Fox Sports and on Kayo in Australia to watch the first day of racing. Kayo are offering fans free access to both the live and replay racing, via its Kayo Freebies offer.