Emirates GBR’s Dylan Fletcher Secures First 2025 SailGP Victory in Sydney
February 9, 2025
by SailGP Media
Emirates Great Britain Claims Top Spot in Sydney
The Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team emerged victorious in the inaugural 2025 SailGP Sydney championship, securing their first win of the season. The triumph was particularly notable as it marked a return to glory for driver Dylan Fletcher, who secured the team’s victory in a thrilling three-way race.
Dylan Fletcher’s Stellar Performance
Fletcher’s win came after an intense battle with Canadian driver Giles Scott, whom he had replaced earlier in the season. Scottish sailing legend Giles Scott holds two Olympic gold medals to his name. Fletcher narrowly edged out Scott, rounding the final course marker mere meters ahead to claim first place, much to the cheers of fans at Shark Island and the spectator fleet.
Fletcher expressed his delight, saying, “Achieving this victory after starting my career with SailGP in 2019 is truly amazing. I couldn’t be prouder of my team and their support in helping me transition into this elite sport.”
Emirates Great Britain Team’s Success
Team CEO Sir Ben Ainslie echoed Fletcher’s sentiments, commenting, “What an incredible effort from our team. Dylan’s performance was outstanding, and he’s clearly world-class. His success is a testament to the hard work and unity of our team.”
Strong Showing From Australia
Australia’s Tom Slingsby acknowledged his team’s loss, stating, “We put up a strong fight, but the British team had a perfect timing advantage early in the race. We’re proud of our performance this weekend and are focusing on future races.”
Australia has stood strong throughout the season, securing podium spots in every race. Their consistency has him them in second place in the Rolex SailGP 2025 Season rankings, gaining 24 points from this event alone.
Competitive Field at Sydney
The Sydney event adopted SailGP’s traditional ‘Super Sunday’ format, featuring three fleet races leading to a decisive final. In the first fleet race, the Emirates Great Britain team took an early lead and secured victory. This set the stage for a competitive final.
In the second fleet race, the Black Foils (New Zealand) emerged victorious, with Canada and Australia rounding out the podium. However, this achievement was not enough to keep New Zealand in contention for the weekend’s championship. They finished fourth, with South Africa placing sixth.
The final fleet race saw Denmark narrowly miss out on a podium finish, with the Black Foils forcing additional maneuvers that hindered the Danish team’s progress. Denmark’s driver, Nicolai Sehested, expressed frustration, saying, “We’re happy with our fourth-place finish, but it’s frustrating to come so close to the final again. We’ve learned from our mistakes and are ready for next time.”
Current Season Standings
The Emirates Great Britain team’s win in Sydney solidified their position at the top of the Rolex SailGP 2025 Season leaderboard with 27 points, with Australia trailing close on 24 points and Spain securing third with 20 points.
Future Events
The competitive action will continue in the United States with a triple header in Los Angeles (March 16-17, 2025), San Francisco (March 23-24, 2025), and New York (June 8-9, 2025). Fans can also look forward to the team’s first ever race in historic Rio de Janeiro (May 4-5, 2025).
Stay tuned for more thrilling races and updates from SailGP as we journey through the 2025 season.
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