Denmark of Nicolai Sehested and Australia of Tom Slingsby are tied for the lead on 26 points after three races on day 1 of the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix in Sydney, Australia.
In third place with 24 points are New Zealand with stand-in driver Nathan Outteridge.
Slingsby took the opening race ahead of Denmark and New Zealand. Then race 2 went to Diego Botin of Spain ahead of Australia, with Denmark third.
In the final race of day 1 Erik Heil took Germany into the lead but Outteridge took the Kiwi boat into the lead at gate 3 to the finish, with Denmark second and Quentin Delapeirre of France third.
Emirates GBR finished the day in 8th after poor starts.
British hopes were raised in the second race, when they recovered to take 3rd at gate 3 and then briefly take the lead on the LH side.
But the RH side payed and Spain regained the lead, with GBR eventually finishing 7th.
Speaking after the racing, Giles Scott said: “It was a pretty tricky day, the first one for me on the foils. The racecourse is super tricky, just the shift factor and the breeze being up and down makes it particularly difficult.”
“We had three shocking starts that were very similar, so we will have to have a good look at that tonight.”
For one team it was a day to forget, as hydraulic pump issues for Phil Robertson’s Canada team saw them finish last in the opening race and then the technical issue meant they couldn’t compete in the rest of the day’s racing.
The KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix in Sydney continues Sunday, with two more fleet races, then top three teams going into the Grand Final. Lighter winds are expected.
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