Spain take SailGP day one spoils, Aussies sixth in NY
Spain enjoy the lead after day one of the sixth round of the SailGP season, picking up the win in the opening race in New York as Diego Botin's team are well positioned for consecutive victories.
Defending series champions Spain, who won the San Francisco event in March, made it look easy despite light winds and strong tides as they took the first win on Saturday.
Competing against one of the most famous skylines in the world on the iconic Hudson River, they sailed away from the fleet and led at mark one before sealing a 14-second lead over second New Zealand on the finish line.
After a brilliant opening performance, Spain were off to a turbulent start in the second race but finished fourth, moving up from last position at the start line.
They started at the back once again in the third and last fleet race of the day but moved themselves up into the third to lead overnight on 25 points before day two of the event on Sunday.
Spain, led by Olympic champion driver Botin, are five points ahead of second-placed Denmark and France in third.
"These boats are so complicated to sail and if you get the conditions that we had today with the puffiness of the breeze, the waves made by the current and also [four people on board], then it's super tricky," Botin said.
"We managed to get a good start and keep it ... did a good job as a team".
Australia and Brazil were going head to head in the second race before Tom Slingsby's team, now rebranded as the BONDS Flying Roos after new celebrity co-owners Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds were announced on Thursday, took the win.
New Zealand, winners in New York last year, won the third race but 11th spot in the second saw them finish fourth for the day.
The race was brought forward due to a storm forecast later in the day, and started two and a half hours earlier than originally scheduled.
The global racing championship is back into action after a brief hiatus with the cancellation of May's Rio event.
Spain enjoy the lead after day one of the sixth round of the SailGP season, picking up the win in the opening race in New York as Diego Botin's team are well positioned for consecutive victories.
Defending series champions Spain, who won the San Francisco event in March, made it look easy despite light winds and strong tides as they took the first win on Saturday.
Competing against one of the most famous skylines in the world on the iconic Hudson River, they sailed away from the fleet and led at mark one before sealing a 14-second lead over second New Zealand on the finish line.
After a brilliant opening performance, Spain were off to a turbulent start in the second race but finished fourth, moving up from last position at the start line.
They started at the back once again in the third and last fleet race of the day but moved themselves up into the third to lead overnight on 25 points before day two of the event on Sunday.
Spain, led by Olympic champion driver Botin, are five points ahead of second-placed Denmark and France in third.
"These boats are so complicated to sail and if you get the conditions that we had today with the puffiness of the breeze, the waves made by the current and also [four people on board], then it's super tricky," Botin said.
"We managed to get a good start and keep it ... did a good job as a team".
Australia and Brazil were going head to head in the second race before Tom Slingsby's team, now rebranded as the BONDS Flying Roos after new celebrity co-owners Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds were announced on Thursday, took the win.
New Zealand, winners in New York last year, won the third race but 11th spot in the second saw them finish fourth for the day.
The race was brought forward due to a storm forecast later in the day, and started two and a half hours earlier than originally scheduled.
The global racing championship is back into action after a brief hiatus with the cancellation of May's Rio event.
Spain enjoy the lead after day one of the sixth round of the SailGP season, picking up the win in the opening race in New York as Diego Botin's team are well positioned for consecutive victories.
Defending series champions Spain, who won the San Francisco event in March, made it look easy despite light winds and strong tides as they took the first win on Saturday.
Competing against one of the most famous skylines in the world on the iconic Hudson River, they sailed away from the fleet and led at mark one before sealing a 14-second lead over second New Zealand on the finish line.
After a brilliant opening performance, Spain were off to a turbulent start in the second race but finished fourth, moving up from last position at the start line.
They started at the back once again in the third and last fleet race of the day but moved themselves up into the third to lead overnight on 25 points before day two of the event on Sunday.
Spain, led by Olympic champion driver Botin, are five points ahead of second-placed Denmark and France in third.
"These boats are so complicated to sail and if you get the conditions that we had today with the puffiness of the breeze, the waves made by the current and also [four people on board], then it's super tricky," Botin said.
"We managed to get a good start and keep it ... did a good job as a team".
Australia and Brazil were going head to head in the second race before Tom Slingsby's team, now rebranded as the BONDS Flying Roos after new celebrity co-owners Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds were announced on Thursday, took the win.
New Zealand, winners in New York last year, won the third race but 11th spot in the second saw them finish fourth for the day.
The race was brought forward due to a storm forecast later in the day, and started two and a half hours earlier than originally scheduled.
The global racing championship is back into action after a brief hiatus with the cancellation of May's Rio event.
Spain enjoy the lead after day one of the sixth round of the SailGP season, picking up the win in the opening race in New York as Diego Botin's team are well positioned for consecutive victories.
Defending series champions Spain, who won the San Francisco event in March, made it look easy despite light winds and strong tides as they took the first win on Saturday.
Competing against one of the most famous skylines in the world on the iconic Hudson River, they sailed away from the fleet and led at mark one before sealing a 14-second lead over second New Zealand on the finish line.
After a brilliant opening performance, Spain were off to a turbulent start in the second race but finished fourth, moving up from last position at the start line.
They started at the back once again in the third and last fleet race of the day but moved themselves up into the third to lead overnight on 25 points before day two of the event on Sunday.
Spain, led by Olympic champion driver Botin, are five points ahead of second-placed Denmark and France in third.
"These boats are so complicated to sail and if you get the conditions that we had today with the puffiness of the breeze, the waves made by the current and also [four people on board], then it's super tricky," Botin said.
"We managed to get a good start and keep it ... did a good job as a team".
Australia and Brazil were going head to head in the second race before Tom Slingsby's team, now rebranded as the BONDS Flying Roos after new celebrity co-owners Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds were announced on Thursday, took the win.
New Zealand, winners in New York last year, won the third race but 11th spot in the second saw them finish fourth for the day.
The race was brought forward due to a storm forecast later in the day, and started two and a half hours earlier than originally scheduled.
The global racing championship is back into action after a brief hiatus with the cancellation of May's Rio event.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
5 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Iconic Paris Olympic cauldron returns for summer nights
A year after it captivated crowds during the Paris Olympics, a centrepiece of the summer Games has made a comeback to light up the French capital's skyline. The iconic helium-powered balloon that attracted a myriad of tourists during the summer Games has shed its Olympic branding and is now just called the "Paris Cauldron". It rose again into the air later Saturday, lifting off over the Tuileries Garden just as the sun was about to set. Despite the suffocating hot weather in Paris, around 30,000 people were expected to attend the launch, which coincided with France's annual street music festival — the Fete de la Musique, the Paris police prefecture said. And it won't be a one-time event. After Saturday's flight, the balloon will lift off into the sky each summer evening from June 21 to September 14, for the next three years. The cauldron's ascent may become a new rhythm of the Parisian summer, with special flights planned for Bastille Day on July 14 and the anniversary of the 2024 opening ceremony on July 26. Gone is the official Olympic branding — forbidden under International Olympic Committee reuse rules — but the spectacle remains. The 30m-tall floating ring, dreamed up by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur and powered by French energy company EDF, simulates flame without fire: LED lights, mist jets and high-pressure fans create a luminous halo that hovers above the city at dusk, visible from rooftops across the capital. Though it stole the show in 2024, the cauldron was only meant to be temporary, not engineered for multi-year outdoor exposure. To transform it into a summer staple, engineers reinforced it. The aluminium ring and tether points were rebuilt with tougher components to handle rain, sun and temperature changes over several seasons. Though it's a hot-air-balloon-style, the lift comes solely from helium — no flame, no burner, just gas and engineering. The structure first dazzled during the Olympics. Over just 40 days, it drew more than 200,000 visitors, according to officials. Now anchored in the centre of the drained Tuileries pond, the cauldron's return is part of French President Emmanuel Macron's effort to preserve the Games' spirit in the city, as Paris looks ahead to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. A year after it captivated crowds during the Paris Olympics, a centrepiece of the summer Games has made a comeback to light up the French capital's skyline. The iconic helium-powered balloon that attracted a myriad of tourists during the summer Games has shed its Olympic branding and is now just called the "Paris Cauldron". It rose again into the air later Saturday, lifting off over the Tuileries Garden just as the sun was about to set. Despite the suffocating hot weather in Paris, around 30,000 people were expected to attend the launch, which coincided with France's annual street music festival — the Fete de la Musique, the Paris police prefecture said. And it won't be a one-time event. After Saturday's flight, the balloon will lift off into the sky each summer evening from June 21 to September 14, for the next three years. The cauldron's ascent may become a new rhythm of the Parisian summer, with special flights planned for Bastille Day on July 14 and the anniversary of the 2024 opening ceremony on July 26. Gone is the official Olympic branding — forbidden under International Olympic Committee reuse rules — but the spectacle remains. The 30m-tall floating ring, dreamed up by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur and powered by French energy company EDF, simulates flame without fire: LED lights, mist jets and high-pressure fans create a luminous halo that hovers above the city at dusk, visible from rooftops across the capital. Though it stole the show in 2024, the cauldron was only meant to be temporary, not engineered for multi-year outdoor exposure. To transform it into a summer staple, engineers reinforced it. The aluminium ring and tether points were rebuilt with tougher components to handle rain, sun and temperature changes over several seasons. Though it's a hot-air-balloon-style, the lift comes solely from helium — no flame, no burner, just gas and engineering. The structure first dazzled during the Olympics. Over just 40 days, it drew more than 200,000 visitors, according to officials. Now anchored in the centre of the drained Tuileries pond, the cauldron's return is part of French President Emmanuel Macron's effort to preserve the Games' spirit in the city, as Paris looks ahead to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. A year after it captivated crowds during the Paris Olympics, a centrepiece of the summer Games has made a comeback to light up the French capital's skyline. The iconic helium-powered balloon that attracted a myriad of tourists during the summer Games has shed its Olympic branding and is now just called the "Paris Cauldron". It rose again into the air later Saturday, lifting off over the Tuileries Garden just as the sun was about to set. Despite the suffocating hot weather in Paris, around 30,000 people were expected to attend the launch, which coincided with France's annual street music festival — the Fete de la Musique, the Paris police prefecture said. And it won't be a one-time event. After Saturday's flight, the balloon will lift off into the sky each summer evening from June 21 to September 14, for the next three years. The cauldron's ascent may become a new rhythm of the Parisian summer, with special flights planned for Bastille Day on July 14 and the anniversary of the 2024 opening ceremony on July 26. Gone is the official Olympic branding — forbidden under International Olympic Committee reuse rules — but the spectacle remains. The 30m-tall floating ring, dreamed up by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur and powered by French energy company EDF, simulates flame without fire: LED lights, mist jets and high-pressure fans create a luminous halo that hovers above the city at dusk, visible from rooftops across the capital. Though it stole the show in 2024, the cauldron was only meant to be temporary, not engineered for multi-year outdoor exposure. To transform it into a summer staple, engineers reinforced it. The aluminium ring and tether points were rebuilt with tougher components to handle rain, sun and temperature changes over several seasons. Though it's a hot-air-balloon-style, the lift comes solely from helium — no flame, no burner, just gas and engineering. The structure first dazzled during the Olympics. Over just 40 days, it drew more than 200,000 visitors, according to officials. Now anchored in the centre of the drained Tuileries pond, the cauldron's return is part of French President Emmanuel Macron's effort to preserve the Games' spirit in the city, as Paris looks ahead to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. A year after it captivated crowds during the Paris Olympics, a centrepiece of the summer Games has made a comeback to light up the French capital's skyline. The iconic helium-powered balloon that attracted a myriad of tourists during the summer Games has shed its Olympic branding and is now just called the "Paris Cauldron". It rose again into the air later Saturday, lifting off over the Tuileries Garden just as the sun was about to set. Despite the suffocating hot weather in Paris, around 30,000 people were expected to attend the launch, which coincided with France's annual street music festival — the Fete de la Musique, the Paris police prefecture said. And it won't be a one-time event. After Saturday's flight, the balloon will lift off into the sky each summer evening from June 21 to September 14, for the next three years. The cauldron's ascent may become a new rhythm of the Parisian summer, with special flights planned for Bastille Day on July 14 and the anniversary of the 2024 opening ceremony on July 26. Gone is the official Olympic branding — forbidden under International Olympic Committee reuse rules — but the spectacle remains. The 30m-tall floating ring, dreamed up by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur and powered by French energy company EDF, simulates flame without fire: LED lights, mist jets and high-pressure fans create a luminous halo that hovers above the city at dusk, visible from rooftops across the capital. Though it stole the show in 2024, the cauldron was only meant to be temporary, not engineered for multi-year outdoor exposure. To transform it into a summer staple, engineers reinforced it. The aluminium ring and tether points were rebuilt with tougher components to handle rain, sun and temperature changes over several seasons. Though it's a hot-air-balloon-style, the lift comes solely from helium — no flame, no burner, just gas and engineering. The structure first dazzled during the Olympics. Over just 40 days, it drew more than 200,000 visitors, according to officials. Now anchored in the centre of the drained Tuileries pond, the cauldron's return is part of French President Emmanuel Macron's effort to preserve the Games' spirit in the city, as Paris looks ahead to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Perth Now
6 hours ago
- Perth Now
Iconic Paris Olympic cauldron returns for summer nights
A year after it captivated crowds during the Paris Olympics, a centrepiece of the summer Games has made a comeback to light up the French capital's skyline. The iconic helium-powered balloon that attracted a myriad of tourists during the summer Games has shed its Olympic branding and is now just called the "Paris Cauldron". It rose again into the air later Saturday, lifting off over the Tuileries Garden just as the sun was about to set. Despite the suffocating hot weather in Paris, around 30,000 people were expected to attend the launch, which coincided with France's annual street music festival — the Fete de la Musique, the Paris police prefecture said. And it won't be a one-time event. After Saturday's flight, the balloon will lift off into the sky each summer evening from June 21 to September 14, for the next three years. The cauldron's ascent may become a new rhythm of the Parisian summer, with special flights planned for Bastille Day on July 14 and the anniversary of the 2024 opening ceremony on July 26. Gone is the official Olympic branding — forbidden under International Olympic Committee reuse rules — but the spectacle remains. The 30m-tall floating ring, dreamed up by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur and powered by French energy company EDF, simulates flame without fire: LED lights, mist jets and high-pressure fans create a luminous halo that hovers above the city at dusk, visible from rooftops across the capital. Though it stole the show in 2024, the cauldron was only meant to be temporary, not engineered for multi-year outdoor exposure. To transform it into a summer staple, engineers reinforced it. The aluminium ring and tether points were rebuilt with tougher components to handle rain, sun and temperature changes over several seasons. Though it's a hot-air-balloon-style, the lift comes solely from helium — no flame, no burner, just gas and engineering. The structure first dazzled during the Olympics. Over just 40 days, it drew more than 200,000 visitors, according to officials. Now anchored in the centre of the drained Tuileries pond, the cauldron's return is part of French President Emmanuel Macron's effort to preserve the Games' spirit in the city, as Paris looks ahead to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- The Advertiser
Leap of faith: Olyslagers soars to gold in Paris
Moments after leaving her rivals in her wake in the Diamond League yet again, Nicola Olyslagers set the bar even higher. Australia's high-jumping royalty leapt to gold under the Parisian sky on Friday, rising over 2.00m to claim back-to-back gold medals on the world's premier athletics circuit. It was her second jump that made the difference, relegating Ukrainian world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh to second and compatriot Eleanor Patterson to bronze. But despite her seventh success overall after her most recent win in Stockholm, Olyslagers is not entirely happy. "Tonight was great, it was the first time we jumped so late (at night), so for mindset it can be difficult," she said. "I'm very thankful for another two-metre jump, but I really want a personal best, so we keep training." The NSW jumper has her sights set on equalling or bettering her own national record of 2.03m, one of the goals motivating her for future meets. The dual Olympic silver medallist believes one way of improving is by getting stronger. "I tend to have very strong jumps in the first five jumps of the competition and then it slowly goes down. Potentially, I need to work a lot more on my muscles to stay strong as I'm running towards the bar." Opening her competition at 1.91m, the double world indoor champion says entering any later may not be worth the risk. "1.91 is very high! We need to work to find the best possibility, or some more training so I have the endurance to give my best at the end." Compatriot Patterson's third-place finish (1.97m) was her third Diamond League podium of 2025 and the Victorian is closing in on the two-metre barrier. In the women's 1500m, Linden Hall finished fourth in 3:57:63 to prevail in the domestic battle including Victorians Georgia Griffith (4:01:36) and Abbey Caldwell (4:01:86). Kenya's Nelly Chepchirchir won the race in 3:57.02. Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino outfought Salwa Eid Naser to win the women's 400m, while Grace Stark set a personal best to outgun Tobi Amusan in the women's 100m hurdles. Dominican Republic's Paulino needed a season's best time of 48.81, a new meeting record, as the world champion came from behind to pip Bahrain's Naser, who took silver at last year's Olympics. Nigeria's world record holder and 2022 world champion Amusan settled for second as the 24-year-old American Stark led from the start to win in 12.21 secs, knocking one tenth of a second off her personal best. Next stop in the Diamond League, which offers significant world ranking points, is in Eugene, Oregon, on July 5. with Reuters Moments after leaving her rivals in her wake in the Diamond League yet again, Nicola Olyslagers set the bar even higher. Australia's high-jumping royalty leapt to gold under the Parisian sky on Friday, rising over 2.00m to claim back-to-back gold medals on the world's premier athletics circuit. It was her second jump that made the difference, relegating Ukrainian world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh to second and compatriot Eleanor Patterson to bronze. But despite her seventh success overall after her most recent win in Stockholm, Olyslagers is not entirely happy. "Tonight was great, it was the first time we jumped so late (at night), so for mindset it can be difficult," she said. "I'm very thankful for another two-metre jump, but I really want a personal best, so we keep training." The NSW jumper has her sights set on equalling or bettering her own national record of 2.03m, one of the goals motivating her for future meets. The dual Olympic silver medallist believes one way of improving is by getting stronger. "I tend to have very strong jumps in the first five jumps of the competition and then it slowly goes down. Potentially, I need to work a lot more on my muscles to stay strong as I'm running towards the bar." Opening her competition at 1.91m, the double world indoor champion says entering any later may not be worth the risk. "1.91 is very high! We need to work to find the best possibility, or some more training so I have the endurance to give my best at the end." Compatriot Patterson's third-place finish (1.97m) was her third Diamond League podium of 2025 and the Victorian is closing in on the two-metre barrier. In the women's 1500m, Linden Hall finished fourth in 3:57:63 to prevail in the domestic battle including Victorians Georgia Griffith (4:01:36) and Abbey Caldwell (4:01:86). Kenya's Nelly Chepchirchir won the race in 3:57.02. Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino outfought Salwa Eid Naser to win the women's 400m, while Grace Stark set a personal best to outgun Tobi Amusan in the women's 100m hurdles. Dominican Republic's Paulino needed a season's best time of 48.81, a new meeting record, as the world champion came from behind to pip Bahrain's Naser, who took silver at last year's Olympics. Nigeria's world record holder and 2022 world champion Amusan settled for second as the 24-year-old American Stark led from the start to win in 12.21 secs, knocking one tenth of a second off her personal best. Next stop in the Diamond League, which offers significant world ranking points, is in Eugene, Oregon, on July 5. with Reuters Moments after leaving her rivals in her wake in the Diamond League yet again, Nicola Olyslagers set the bar even higher. Australia's high-jumping royalty leapt to gold under the Parisian sky on Friday, rising over 2.00m to claim back-to-back gold medals on the world's premier athletics circuit. It was her second jump that made the difference, relegating Ukrainian world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh to second and compatriot Eleanor Patterson to bronze. But despite her seventh success overall after her most recent win in Stockholm, Olyslagers is not entirely happy. "Tonight was great, it was the first time we jumped so late (at night), so for mindset it can be difficult," she said. "I'm very thankful for another two-metre jump, but I really want a personal best, so we keep training." The NSW jumper has her sights set on equalling or bettering her own national record of 2.03m, one of the goals motivating her for future meets. The dual Olympic silver medallist believes one way of improving is by getting stronger. "I tend to have very strong jumps in the first five jumps of the competition and then it slowly goes down. Potentially, I need to work a lot more on my muscles to stay strong as I'm running towards the bar." Opening her competition at 1.91m, the double world indoor champion says entering any later may not be worth the risk. "1.91 is very high! We need to work to find the best possibility, or some more training so I have the endurance to give my best at the end." Compatriot Patterson's third-place finish (1.97m) was her third Diamond League podium of 2025 and the Victorian is closing in on the two-metre barrier. In the women's 1500m, Linden Hall finished fourth in 3:57:63 to prevail in the domestic battle including Victorians Georgia Griffith (4:01:36) and Abbey Caldwell (4:01:86). Kenya's Nelly Chepchirchir won the race in 3:57.02. Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino outfought Salwa Eid Naser to win the women's 400m, while Grace Stark set a personal best to outgun Tobi Amusan in the women's 100m hurdles. Dominican Republic's Paulino needed a season's best time of 48.81, a new meeting record, as the world champion came from behind to pip Bahrain's Naser, who took silver at last year's Olympics. Nigeria's world record holder and 2022 world champion Amusan settled for second as the 24-year-old American Stark led from the start to win in 12.21 secs, knocking one tenth of a second off her personal best. Next stop in the Diamond League, which offers significant world ranking points, is in Eugene, Oregon, on July 5. with Reuters Moments after leaving her rivals in her wake in the Diamond League yet again, Nicola Olyslagers set the bar even higher. Australia's high-jumping royalty leapt to gold under the Parisian sky on Friday, rising over 2.00m to claim back-to-back gold medals on the world's premier athletics circuit. It was her second jump that made the difference, relegating Ukrainian world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh to second and compatriot Eleanor Patterson to bronze. But despite her seventh success overall after her most recent win in Stockholm, Olyslagers is not entirely happy. "Tonight was great, it was the first time we jumped so late (at night), so for mindset it can be difficult," she said. "I'm very thankful for another two-metre jump, but I really want a personal best, so we keep training." The NSW jumper has her sights set on equalling or bettering her own national record of 2.03m, one of the goals motivating her for future meets. The dual Olympic silver medallist believes one way of improving is by getting stronger. "I tend to have very strong jumps in the first five jumps of the competition and then it slowly goes down. Potentially, I need to work a lot more on my muscles to stay strong as I'm running towards the bar." Opening her competition at 1.91m, the double world indoor champion says entering any later may not be worth the risk. "1.91 is very high! We need to work to find the best possibility, or some more training so I have the endurance to give my best at the end." Compatriot Patterson's third-place finish (1.97m) was her third Diamond League podium of 2025 and the Victorian is closing in on the two-metre barrier. In the women's 1500m, Linden Hall finished fourth in 3:57:63 to prevail in the domestic battle including Victorians Georgia Griffith (4:01:36) and Abbey Caldwell (4:01:86). Kenya's Nelly Chepchirchir won the race in 3:57.02. Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino outfought Salwa Eid Naser to win the women's 400m, while Grace Stark set a personal best to outgun Tobi Amusan in the women's 100m hurdles. Dominican Republic's Paulino needed a season's best time of 48.81, a new meeting record, as the world champion came from behind to pip Bahrain's Naser, who took silver at last year's Olympics. Nigeria's world record holder and 2022 world champion Amusan settled for second as the 24-year-old American Stark led from the start to win in 12.21 secs, knocking one tenth of a second off her personal best. Next stop in the Diamond League, which offers significant world ranking points, is in Eugene, Oregon, on July 5. with Reuters
