Slingsby skippers the Flying Roo ahead of Kiwi rival Burling in SailGP’s opening regatta
Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team, left, United States SailGP Team, centre, and Australia SailGP Team compete during the Dubai Sail Grand Prix Race, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Altaf Qadri]
Tom Slingsby of Australia mastered the light air to dominate the third fleet race and take a one-point lead over his rival from across the Tasman Sea, Peter Burling of New Zealand, in the opening regatta of SailGP’s fifth season in Dubai. The Australians had finishes of 3-5-1 aboard their Flying Roo 50-foot foiling catamaran to take a 24-23 lead over Burling, who is coming off his third straight America’s Cup victory. Defending SailGP champion Diego Botin of Spain is seventh in the 11-boat fleet, the largest in SailGP history.
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