Heading into this weekend’s SailGP racing in Sydney, it is Ben Ainslie’s Emirates Great Britain who top the leaderboard, equal on points with New Zealand, and one ahead of hosts Australia – who won the previous event in Auckland.
Emirates GBR Team owner Ben Ainslie is on site for the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix, fresh off the plane from London where he attended the America’s Cup crisis meeting last weekend.
The lock-down on what decisions, if any, were made at that meeting regarding the split in the INEOS Britannia Team management and the status of the Challenger of Record have held firm.
The lack of information on any progress for the next America’s Cup, plays well to SailGP CEO Russell Coutts’ plans for the expansion of SailGP as the premier sail-racing circuit, with SailGP continuing to provide a well-oiled circuit involving 12 national teams, with top world-class sailors, racing at 14 worldwide venues.
![Ben Ainslie in Sydney for Australia Sail Grand Prix](https://www.sailweb.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/SailGP-Ben-Ainslie-Sydney-Chaseboat-07012025.jpg)
The Sydney event is retaining the full 12 boat fleet race format, which will put even more of a premium on starting this weekend. You will not want to buried at the first turn but keeping a clear lane and clear wind is going to be very difficult.
The launch of the T-Foils in Auckland has added another factor as the teams get to grips with the upgrade . . . and with Tom Slingsby and the Australian team showing their early superiority, they will be favourites here in Sydney.
Australia has been on the podium every single time they’ve raced in Sydney and have won three of the five past events here, so you’d expect them to be hard to beat this weekend.
Emirates GBR with new driver Dylan Fletcher tops the leaderboard after podiums in the Dubai and Auckland events.
However, it is very tight with the top four – GBR, NZL, AUS and ESP – covered by two points, and the Brits have yet to win a final podium race.
Joining Fletcher in the British team for the Sydney event will be three Olympic gold medallists – Hannah Mills (Strategist), Iain Jensen (Wing Trimmer) and Ellie Aldridge (Reserve Strategist) – as well as three-time America’s Cup athletes Neil Hunter (Grinder), Nick Hutton (Trimmer/Grinder) and Luke Parkinson (Flight Controller).
Fletcher said: “I’m really looking forward to getting back out and racing on Sydney Harbour. It’s where SailGP started for me in season one, so being back here feels great. The team is in a strong position with two podium finishes, and we’re aiming to carry that momentum into another solid weekend performance.”
“The conditions could be pretty wild, with Sunday potentially bringing a southerly buster. I haven’t experienced one before, but we’ve heard a lot about it.”
![SailGP Leaderboard after NZL](https://www.sailweb.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/SailGP-Leaderboard-after-NZL-06022025.jpg)
The KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix takes place on 8 and 9 February, with racing from 15:00hrs AEDT (04:00 UK) on Saturday and Sunday.
Following the opening fleet races on Saturday, February 8, there will be further racing on Sunday, February 9 to determine the top three teams that will compete in the last race – a winner-takes-all Final to crown the event champion. See all the action here on Sailweb.