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The season is drawing to a close and everything is still to play for
Seven of the ten competing nations still have a chance of qualifying for the Grand Final, to be held on July 14, 2024 in San Francisco, keeping the suspense high. Currently in fourth place, the French team is aiming to make up the six points separating it from the top three. The races will take place near the Governors Island waterfront, with the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline in the background. In short, this event could well become a memorable moment in the history of SailGP.
The stakes are high and the tension is palpable among the teams preparing for the penultimate Sail Grand Prix of the season.
A French team in ambush at the foot of the podium
The French team led by Quentin Delapierre has shown clear improvement over the last 11 events. Currently 4th with 65 points, they are aiming for a notable performance in New York. They will then focus on the final Grand Prix in San Francisco (July 13-14), where five fleet races will distribute the final points before the Grand Final.
An evolving classification
Tom Slingsby's Australians (3rd with 71 points) and Diego Botín's Spaniards (2nd with 72 points) have a lot to lose. Only Peter Burling's New Zealanders (83 points) have a comfortable lead at the top. Behind the French, the Danes (5th with 64 points), the British (6th with 58 points) and the Canadians (7th with 58 points) remain in contention.
In San Francisco on July 14, only the top three teams in the championship will compete in a final race, with the winner taking home the trophy and $2 million.
With only two more SailGP legs to go this season, the level of teams on the circuit is as even and high as ever. As in Halifax, each event often comes down to the last leg, or even the last tack. Every point counts, and the slightest mistake can be costly. Crews are determined to do well in New York to maximize their chances of qualifying for the Grand Final.
It'll be hot in the cockpits
After freezing temperatures in Halifax, a very hot weekend is expected in New York. The influence of the Atlantic Ocean brings rapid and unpredictable weather changes. In the event of thunderstorms, two scenarios are possible: a light channelled breeze or a wind that is unstable in strength and direction due to the buildings. The current of the Hudson River could complicate crews' task in the event of light winds. The water of Upper New York Bay, surrounded by Manhattan, Brooklyn, Jersey City and the Verrazzano Bridge, and dotted with Governors, Liberty and Ellis Islands, will be flat, allowing the ten F50s to sail at high speed over the river.
