Sweden’s Artemis SailGP round out the podium on day one thanks in part to a solid win in the opening race.
Nathan Outteridge’s outfit followed up with a second, before slipping off the pace with a sixth and a ninth. Still, it’s enough to see them stay just two points off the top spot.
A race four victory for Erik Heil’s Germany by Deutsche Bank solidified their fourth place on the overnight leaderboard, while Red Bull Italy’s first race win under Phil Robertson sees them fifth.
Los Gallos showed flashes of brilliance, capitalising on clean starts and smart positioning to stay within striking distance heading into day two.
A welcome sight was DS Team France back in action after a herculean effort by SailGP Technologies to repair their stricken F50, damaged in a horror crash with the Black Foils in Auckland.
Quentin Delapierre’s team – bolstered by the Black Foil strategist Liv Mackay and super sub Glenn Ashby – posted two solid fourths, a reminder they’ve not lost any speed in their absence.
Home team Mubadala Brazil suffered a setback prior to racing when their telemetry system went down, forcing them out of the opening two races.
Huge cheers went up from the Race Stadium as Martine Grael’s crew left the dock ahead of race three, going on to score a tenth and an eighth in their first outing in front of a home crowd.