MADRID, 19 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish SailGP team has finished in second position in the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix Auckland, the first test of the SailGP season, in which the ‘Roosters’ aspire to retain the title they won last year.
In a day of three races and the final, the Spain SailGP Team managed to finish second after a great final against Australia and the Emirates GBR. Now, Spain is fourth in the general classification, just one point behind New Zealand and Great Britain, leaders of the competition, and tied on points with the third place, the Australians.
On a very windy day, the Spaniards achieved a fifth place in the first race of the day, in which they were unable to consolidate their great start. Despite falling to eighth position, Diego Botín and the entire team solved the problems to finish fifth. In the second race of the day, they were third.
In the final fleet race of the day, they dropped to the back of the pack after a busy start, but rallied to finish third and qualify for the final alongside Australia and Emirates GBR.
In the final, the Spain SailGP Team put Tom Slingsby’s Australia on the ropes in the fifth gate, although the ‘Aussies’ guaranteed victory, with Spain second and the British third. After this second Grand Prix of the season, Spain is fourth in the general classification with 16 points, tied with Australia and only one of the leaders, Great Britain and New Zealand.
The pilot of the Spain SailGP Team, Diego Botín, acknowledged that they are “happy with the result.” “We were able to put pressure on Australia until the end and that is very good. Today has been a very complicated day with a very short course, a lot of wind and also many boats. It has been very difficult,” he indicated.
The third Grand Prix of the Rolex SailGP 2025 Season Championship will be the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix-Sydney, which will be held on February 8 and 9, 2025.