The BONDS Flying Roos claimed victory in the inaugural Enel Rio Sail Grand Prix – their second event win of the 2026 Season. Australia now move into the top spot in the Rolex SailGP Championship standings after a disastrous weekend from Emirates GBR, who now sit second overall. Artemis made their first event final, finishing third in Rio ahead of Los Gallos in second.
Twelve teams battled gusty, unstable conditions on Guanabara Bay – with F50 handling made even harder due to major swells and a wind shadow around Sugarloaf Mountain causing shifts across the course.
But the wind and waves were no match for three-time Rolex SailGP Champion Tom Slingsby, who won each of the day’s three qualifying fleet races before taking the event final. The Aussies were forced back to position three in race six; however, after being handed a five-point penalty for a rule 14 breach (against the Swiss), which resulted in damage.
Celebrating in front of the cheering crowds of Brazilian fans, Slingsby said, “I’m really pleased with the team. We’ve brought together a group with huge potential, and although we hadn’t fully clicked before today we finally showed what we’re capable of when everything comes together. It’s a really satisfying feeling — not just as a driver, but from a broader perspective. It was also special to get this first win with Goobs [Iain Jensen]. We go way back, so sharing that moment meant a lot.”
Los Gallos – the Spain SailGP Team – were another standout on day two, never finishing below fourth (4, 2, 4) in the final qualifying fleet races to edge their way into the winner-takes-all event final, alongside Artemis.
While Artemis briefly took the lead early, a handling error dropped them off the foils and handed momentum straight back to the Aussies. From there, Australia stretched away while the battle shifted behind them. A costly penalty for Artemis ended their challenge, allowing Los Gallos to secure second as the Swedes swept across the line in third – their best SailGP result to date.
Los Gallos driver Diego Botín said, “It’s been incredible to be back in Rio, it’s such an iconic place to sail with Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer as the backdrop. Overall, we’re very happy with our result this weekend. Finishing second in SailGP is never easy, and reaching our third final of the season shows we’re improving. The Australians were one step ahead today, and there’s a lot we can learn from that.”
2026 Season entry Artemis SailGP Team driver Nathan Outteridge said, “It was a successful event for us. We made the final, which is a great step forward. Today was really tricky with the gusty conditions and being a bit overpowered on the 27.5-meter wing, but overall we’re really happy. It’s our first final as a team, so that’s something positive to build on for the rest of the season. Looking ahead, Bermuda will be exciting, I can’t wait – it’s always a fantastic place for sailing.”
Despite performing well across the weekend’s qualifying fleet races, it wasn’t to be for the U.S. SailGP Team, Rockwool Racing, Germany Deutsche Bank or Red Bull Italy, who finished fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh in Rio, respectively.
A rare ‘black flag’ disqualification at the start of the fourth and final fleet race (race 7) cast a shadow on DS Automobiles Team France’s Rio return. For Emirates GBR, it was a challenging weekend, with Dylan Fletcher’s championship-winning team recording their lowest event finish to date (12th) after a difficult run of results across the event (11, 6, 11, 12, 12, 10, 10).
Nearly 8,000 fans attended the inaugural Enel Rio Sail Grand Prix – a weekend the Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team wouldn’t soon forget.
Driver Martine Grael said, “It was such a special event here in Rio. Sailing in these conditions, especially under Sugarloaf, is both challenging and incredibly fun. The wind is very shifty and I think that pushed everyone to their limits. In the end, sailing is all about consistency, and that’s something we still need to improve as a team. Hopefully, when we come back to Brazil, we’ll be able to deliver a much better result and an even better show.”
SailGP CEO and co-founder Sir Russell Coutts agreed: “Bringing SailGP to Rio for the first time has exceeded expectations. The energy on the waterfront, the passion of our fans and intensity of racing on Guanabara Bay have made this a landmark moment for us as a league. This weekend is exactly what SailGP is about – world-class sport, close to shore stadium racing, in iconic destinations. Rio has delivered on every front and we can’t wait to be back in 2027.”
The most exciting racing on water returns next month – visiting fan-favorite destination, Bermuda, for the Apex Group Bermuda Sail Grand Prix (May 9–10).
Sun Runner
Sport Trivia: Which South African who played between 1949 and 1960 was named a Wisden Cricketer of the year in 1956? Answer: Hugh Tayfield. Hugh Tayfield once bowled 137 consecutive dot balls in a 1956/57 Test match against England which was held in Durban. Statistics for bowlers who have played 20 or more tests show that Hugh Tayfield conceded only 1.64 runs per over during his test career.
Sugar Apple
And what’s Test Cricket, you ask? It’s the longest form of the sport of cricket: The two teams play a four-innings match, which may last up to five days or longer.