Australia SailGP team are hoping to solidify their lead at the summit heading into the start of the Apex Group Bermuda Sail Grand Prix in the Great Sound today.

The Bonds Flying Roos hold a seven-point advantage over nearest rival and reigning Rolex SailGP Championship champions Emirates Great Britain, and with two wins already under their belt this season have arrived on island clearly as the team to beat.

They picked up their first win after successfully defending their title in the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix in Auckland in February.

The team’s championship bid then gathered further momentum with victory in the inaugural Enel Rio Sail Grand Prix in Brazil last month propelling them to the top of the pecking order.

Australia SailGP team are attempting to regain the coveted Rolex SailGP Championship and made a huge statement in Brazil having won an unprecedented four straight races on the way to claiming overall honours and replacing Emirates Great Britain at the top of the pecking order, much to the delight of team chief executive and driver Tom Slingsby who is inspired by the team’s sparkling form of late.

“We have been sailing well all year and our last event in Rio is the best event we’ve had,” the three-times Rolex SailGP Championship, Olympic gold medal and America’s Cup winner told The Royal Gazette.

“We’re really confident, but in SailGP you’re one step away from a bad result. We saw the British team have a 1-2-2 in the first three events and then the next event they finished last, so you’re always just one bad step away from a bad result. We’re not going to take it for granted, but we are in as good a position as we could be.”

Asked what does he attribute his team’s solid form of late down to, the three-times ISAF World Sailor of the Year said: “I think the team gelling.

“Obviously we’ve had some changes and our new wing trimmer is Goobs [Iain Jensen]. We were able to get him from the British team.

“Just before the first event he got injured and he was out for two events and then we got him back on.

“It’s just taken time to gel with the team and everything seems to be flowing really well. There’s good vibes in the team and so we are excited.”

Jensen, who won a gold medal competing against Bermudian siblings Jesse and Zander Kirkland in the 49er class at the 2012 Olympic Games in Britain and did two America’s Cup campaigns with Swedish challenger Artemis Racing, has rejoined the Bonds Flying Roos following the departure of former team wing trimmer Chris Draper.

Slingsby is by no means a stranger to the island having resided here in the build up to his fellow Oracle Team USA team-mates’ unsuccessful America’s Cup defence in 2017.

“It’s amazing to be back here,” he said.

“I absolutely loved living here. Lived here for three years and just got such fond memories.

“Everywhere we drive or go by boat I’ve sort of got a memory or story that I remember. We were here for Cup Match and had a good time, or been diving out here or different things. It’s just so good to be back.”

The 41-year-old hopes to capitalise on his vast knowledge of the conditions in the Great Sound.

“I know the Great Sound pretty well and I know how the wind works and the conditions,” he said. “It’s just such a beautiful place to sail.

“I think most of the teams have sailed a lot here in the past, but hopefully there’s a day there that a little bit of experience comes into play.

“Forecast is looking good. A bit of a range of conditions from sort of east, north-east to a south-west on day two I think.

“We’re going to get a full range of conditions but it should be nice breeze all week.”

Australia SailGP team achieved a remarkable treble after winning three consecutive Rolex SailGP Championship titles in the first three instalments of the global racing championship contested in the one-design F50 foiling catamaran capable of speeds approaching 100km/h.

Spain SailGP team, jointly led by driver Diego Botin and wing trimmer Florian Trittel, are the defending Apex Group Bermuda Sail Grand Prix champions.

After a turbulent start to the season, Los Gallos are finding their form at a critical stage of the season as they go in search of a second Rolex SailGP Championship title in three years.