Please select your home edition
Edition
Marine Products Direct 2023 - Calypso LEADERBOARD

Emirates GBR runners-up in Dubai on Driver Dylan Fletcher's debut event

by Emirates GBR SailGP Team 24 Nov 17:06 GMT 23-24 November 2024

In his first event as Driver of the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team, Dylan Fletcher has steered the team to a second place finish. The British crew battled New Zealand and the United States in the winner-takes-all podium final of the debut of the SailGP 2025 Season, the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas. The nail-biting race saw each of the three teams take the lead at different stages, with New Zealand eventually coming out on top.

Emirates GBR Driver Dylan Fletcher said: "It was a good first event for the team here in Dubai. It was great to get into the final and we gave it everything we had. At one point we thought we had done enough to take the Kiwis, but they did a good job to find some pressure and get ahead. All in all it was a solid first event and I'm very thankful for the team getting me around the race course and making it easy for me."

Emirates GBR entered race day two on Sunday in third place after securing a result of 5-8-2 in the three fleet races on Saturday. Two further fleet races took place on Sunday, with the top three teams across the five races then progressing to the event final. Emirates GBR placed third in both races and secured their place in the final.

The fourth race saw Emirates GBR cross the start line in a mid-fleet position, but the crew managed to make gains on the course to progress to third in leg four and keep the position until the finish. In the fifth fleet race, Emirates GBR needed to finish ahead of last season's champions, Spain, to secure their spot in the podium final. The Brits came in third while Spain finished fifth, with Denmark taking the win and underdogs USA crossing the line in second place.

When the three-boat final got under way, New Zealand executed a perfect start to streak ahead, but the race was far from won - with multiple lead changes to come. The teams split the course at gate two, with the Brits and Kiwis taking the left side and the United States claiming the right. The move paid off for the Americans, who managed to rise onto the foils and take the lead on the third leg.

Shifty conditions continued to play havoc with teams' strategies, with all three teams jostling for position at the third gate. A boundary penalty proved costly for the Americans, who were forced to drop 60m behind Emirates GBR, who then took the lead. New Zealand then came back fighting, diving inside Emirates GBR at the fourth gate to take the lead and manoeuvre away in a move green flagged by the umpires, that could have gone either way. From there, the Kiwis stretched ahead, finding clear space and clean air away from Emirates GBR and the United States to cross the line in first.

A dramatic last-minute incident unfolded at the final gate, when the United States attempted to dive inside the British at the mark rounding to claim second, but the move earned the team a penalty, handing second place back to Emirates GBR, with the Americans taking third overall.

Emirates GBR Strategist Hannah Mills said: "It was tough racing out there with it being really tricky to stay up on the foils in the lighter conditions. Dylan did an awesome job, as did the rest of the team, with managing that and coming out in second. It's been awesome working with Dylan and having him on-board, there's definitely more to come and everyone is really excited."

The second event of the Rolex SailGP Championship's 2025 Season takes place in Auckland, New Zealand, on 18-19 January. The area is notorious for big winds and with 12 teams on the start line with the new high-speed T-Foils introduced, it's set to be an action-packed weekend of racing.

Related Articles

Dylan Fletcher drives Emirates GBR to third place
On Race Day 1 in Dubai Dylan Fletcher has driven the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team to third place on Race Day 1 in Dubai. It was Fletcher's first time racing in the Driver role for Ben Ainslie's British team, with the crew securing a result of 5-8-2. Posted on 23 Nov
Dylan Fletcher race ready for his return to SailGP
At the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas this weekend Dylan Fletcher is race ready for his return to SailGP, after taking on the Driver role for Ben Ainslie's Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix Team. Posted on 22 Nov
London teenager joins GBR SailGP Team
Kai Hockley selected by Sir Ben Ainslie as a development sailor A London teenager, Kai Hockley, from Tottenham, selected by Sir Ben Ainslie as a development sailor for his British sailing teams has joined the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team on-board their race boat for the first time. Posted on 21 Nov
Dylan Fletcher named Emirates GBR's new Driver
As Portsmouth revealed as location for the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in 2025 The Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team has named its new Driver as the Olympic gold medallist, America's Cup Helm and Moth World Champion Dylan Fletcher. Posted on 14 Nov
Sailing's first ever transfer fee deal
Emirates GBR Driver Giles Scott moving to the Canada SailGP Team Emirates GBR Driver Giles Scott will join the Canada SailGP Team for the 2024/2025 Season, after the British team's CEO, Ben Ainslie, negotiated sailing's first ever transfer fee deal. Scott has signed a multi-year contract with the Canadian team. Posted on 3 Oct
London teen joins Sir Ben Ainslie's sailing teams
Kai Hockley, 18, has been selected to join the development programme A London teenager has been selected by Sir Ben Ainslie to join the development programme for his British sailing teams. Posted on 31 Jul
Giles Scott signs off SailGP Season 4
With third podium finish and the Impact League trophy SailGP's Season 4 calendar has come to a dramatic conclusion at the Grand Final in San Francisco, with underdogs Spain securing the win in the three-boat final against Australia and New Zealand to take the $2m prize. Posted on 15 Jul
Giles Scott's crew in second place
After day one of the San Francisco Sail Grand Prix Giles Scott and the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team are second on the leaderboard of the San Francisco Sail Grand Prix after day one of racing in extremely testing conditions. Posted on 14 Jul
Emirates GBR Team crowned Impact League champions
Tracking the positive actions SailGP teams take to reduce their overall footprint A world first, the Impact League tracks the positive actions SailGP teams take to reduce their overall footprint and accelerate inclusivity in sailing. Posted on 13 Jul
Giles Scott secures second podium result
After finishing third at New York SailGP Giles Scott has secured his second podium result in as many events after placing third at the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix. While Scott was hoping for a win on his birthday in New York, his Emirates GBR SailGP Team finished third in the US capital. Posted on 24 Jun