SailGP Bermuda: Top teams tied at the top. Ashby breaks leg - wild Day 1
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com/nz 9 May 21:28 BST
USA - Day 1 - Apex Group Bermuda SailGP - May 9, 2026 © Felix Diemer/SailGP
Bermuda turned on a top day for racing as the SailGP returned to the Great Sound, with fresh 15kt breezes and flat water making for excellent racing.
The 12 boat fleet delivered with three different race winners and a leaderboard packed with five teams at the top of the table, and with a good chance of making the Final on Sunday. Post-race, the French team revealed that Super-sub Glenn Ashby broke an ankle while crossing the tramoline. He was replaced, allowing the French to sail in Race 4.
Artemis (SWE) had a broken bowsprit issue before the start and was on the crane while the others raced. The Nathan Outteridge-skippered team took no part in the four races.
Race 1: USA started in fine style in the opening race, hitting the line at pace, on time and to windward of the fleet. They drove over the top and took the lead at the first mark, despite having to sail a longer distance. They rounded first and were never headed. Behind them, Germany looked to have second place tied up, but an altercation with the much-improved North Star Canada just short of the penultimate mark resulted in the Germans dropping back into third place, with Spain fourth.
Race 2: USA repeated their start ploy of Race 1, but three others were onto it as well, including a much improved Canada, Australia, and Denmark. Canada sailed outside the boundary on Leg 2 and took a penalty. But Australia grabbed the lead at Mark 1 and did not yield. USA, previously thought of as a strong light weather team, proved they could compete at the fresh end of the Beaufort Scale, locking into second place, mid-race, in the 16kt breeze. Denmark got past the USA on Leg 4, with Spain and Northstar Canada and also came through, and the US team dropped back to fifth at the finish.
The attrition rate continued, with France being the first to pull out after Glenn Ashby took a fall, breaking his right leg, and the French were forced to stop racing. He was replaced for the start of Race 4. Red Bull Italy, which had done a spectacular nosedive ahead of Race 1, also came to a halt with system problems, but kept racing to pick up the 10th-place point.
Race 3: Three boats were pinged for an early start, as many of the fleet arrived a little early. Rockwool Denmark, now under US ownership, completely misjudged their position relative to the top end of the start line and had to spectacularly bail out of the start. At mark 1, Australia again got control from Spain and a much improved Brazil. At Mark 3 Australia led, with Spain in second and Brazil starting to drop back into middle of the now ten boat fleet. But on the next leg, the form book from the first two races was upset, as the top-performing Spain took over the running from Australia, with the Swiss having a better day, moving up into third from the Martine Grael skippered Brazil. Spain held on at the finish, without being seriously pushed by Australia, and with three races sailed, there were three winners.
Race 4: The fleet got off to an amazing start with most being on the line and at speed. In Mark 1, Phil Robertson, skippered Red Bull Italy, grabbed the front-runner position, chased by Australia and Great Britain, with the USA in a challenging position. The Australians found more pressure on the right-hand side of the course, and got through Italy, with Britain and the USA holding third and fourth. The Brits let the USA through to third on Leg 5. Australia looked to have the race in the bag at the penultimate mark, but behind, there was real pressure, with Spain getting their bows in briefly. but dropped back to third and then fourth at the finish, behind Australia, Italy and the USA.
"We had a good day," said Flying Roos skipper. "There were a few tweaks here and there, but we are just progressing every day and getting better."
On the overall leader board after Day 1, and four races, Bonds Flying Roos (AUS) and Los Gallos (ESP) are tied on 32pts, with Australia being weighed down by their 8th place in Race 1, and the Spanish being the more consistent with all their placings in the top four. USA is in third on 28pts and Germany and Canada tied on 25pts.
With three races left to sail in the Qualifying on Sunday, it would seem that the three finalists will come from that group of five.
Highlights - Racing:
Day 1 - Recap:
Drivers' thoughts on Day 1 - Bermuda 2026
Racing continues on Sunday with three races and the Final.