Under the leadership of Sir Russell Coutts, Olympic gold medalist and multiple America's Cup winner, the final act of the SailGP championship opened with the presentation of the 1st trophy of this international competition.
The dynamic Tiphaine Turluche, team manager of Team France explains:" the last final will last between 12 and 16 minutes. Everything is done to make the spectator enjoy the event to the fullest, it's very exciting! "
An event adapted to the general public
The 13 stands installed on the seawall attracted a large number of spectators and offered them a unique view of the competition, despite unusual conditions for the Marseille lake. Not only was the regatta course very close to the stands, but several giant screens were placed on the same stands, so that the public would not miss a thing. The finish line anchored in front of the stands added a proximity between spectators and crews, tasting as closely as possible the view of the F50s flowing at 35 knots.
We are entering a new era in the organization of sailing competitions. The nautical stadium has never been so well named. The emphasis on regattas is optimal and adapted to all audiences, novices or connoisseurs. The fleet of spectator boats was dense, mixing sailboats, yachts and sharp (we are in Marseille peuchère!), despite an atmosphere somewhat heckled by the little chop in front of the old port.
A final act played over 3 days
The first two days were made up of fleet regattas, in order to define the two best teams to compete in match racing for the final. Team France won a round in front of an enthusiastic public and gained a place in the overall ranking. All this bodes well for the upcoming SailGP season.
The final duel between the Japanese and Australians turned out to be an advantage for the latter, led by the very inspired Tom Slingsby. The suspense remained intact until the last tack, during which time the Olympic medallist took advantage of a small tactical error by the Japanese crew, who let Slingsby slip to the finish line.
This Australian victory concludes an incredible season, featuring the world's fastest sailing boats, led by the most talented crews of the moment. We can't wait for the SailGP 2020!
