ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
The final countdown in this year’s SailGP series has started with the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix setting up the battleground climax in the waters around Mina Zayed, where a year's worth of racing culminates in one winner-takes-all race.
On November 29 and 30, twelve teams will descend on the UAE capital for the season's climactic finale. After 11 adrenaline-fuelled events spanning continents, the championship heads to the emirate for one last round of sporting theatre – where only four teams in contention mathematically.
Emirates GBR lead the Championship by just three points over New Zealand's Black Foils, with Australia's Flying Roos five points behind and Spain's Los Gallos have a slight numerical chance.
"It's exciting to think that potentially the last three 49er gold medallists [Olympic class winners] could be fighting it out in Abu Dhabi," said Emirates GBR driver Dylan Fletcher, himself an Olympic champion. "It's going to be a real test of sailor versus sailor."
The format means two days of fleet racing will determine the top three teams in the overall standings. Those three will then face off in a single, winner-takes-all Grand Final race where the first across the finish line claims the SailGP season trophy and $2 million prize.
"Our mathematical chances are quite low," admits Los Gallos driver Diego Botín, whose Spanish team sits fourth overall, "but in this sport, you can create your own chances. We’re exploring every way possible to maximise them.”
Their record in SailGP Finals this season - winning two of the three - is the best in the league, a fact that hasn’t gone unnoticed by their rivals. “We feel quite good in Finals,” Botín added. “I don’t know exactly why, but somehow when we’re in that position, we’re super strong. The key for us is to be more consistent so we can make more of them.”
Abu Dhabi's tight, inshore racecourse at Mina Zayed is expected to deliver light and tricky conditions, creating additional drama and opportunity for strategic racing. Teams will race with a new 27.5-metre wing specifically designed for the lighter Arabian Gulf winds.
"The new wing is going to make a big difference, especially in light winds," said Fletcher. "Starts will be crucial, overtaking opportunities will be there, and the small start box adds another layer of strategy. It's about adapting quickly, learning fast and putting all of that together on race day."
For teams like Los Gallos, the conditions could be an equaliser. "The light winds create more opportunities," Botín said. "The start is critical because the fleet is huge and the wind shadows make it hard to come back. The crazier it gets, the better for us."
For Fletcher and Emirates GBR, the pressure of maintaining their Championship lead is immense. "It would be the cherry on top of an incredible season," he said. “It’s not just about the results or the prize money – it’s about proving yourself against the best sailors in the world in one-design racing. To win there would be hugely special, for the team and personally.”