The Spain SailGP team again showed their liking for Bermuda waters on the opening day of the Apex Group Bermuda Sail Grand Prix in the Great Sound on Saturday.

The Spaniards, who won in Bermuda the last time a SailGP event was held in Bermuda in 2024, were the most consistent team on the way to a 4-3-1-4 record in the four fleet races contested in big and shifty breeze. They finished the day tied at the top of the standings with current Rolex SailGP Championship leaders Australia.

Los Gallos driver Diego Botín, who won a gold medal in the 49er class at the Paris Olympics, was delighted with his team’s performance as the one-design F50 foiling catamarans kept spectators on the edge of their seats.

“It was an amazing day today,” Botín told The Royal Gazette.

“The conditions were perfect to race these boats; it was super tight and we were a bit over range with the wing.

“It was very windy for the 24-metre wing and that made the boat very hard to sail. If you put twelve boats on a tight course with the boats so hard to sail it is super stressful.

“It was stressful on-board but we managed to pull off a good day and happy to be in contention for tomorrow.”

The Spaniards came from behind to win the third race after trailing behind the Australians over the first three marks.

The decisive moment arrived near the end of the second downwind run with both teams battling for the favoured left bottom leeward gate.

Los Gallos had the right of way and forced a split before laying the left gate to take the lead, which they clung to the rest of the way to seal victory.

“We wanted to go to the left turn at the bottom so we decided to gybe early and in the long term it was a good move,” Botín said.

Australia SailGP driver and CEO Tom Slingsby added: “We really needed to cross Spain coming to that bottom mark but they got a really good gust and accelerated and beat us to it.”

Botín feels good about his team’s chances of retaining their Bermuda title.

“We know if we do well we have our chances, so we are going to focus on getting ready for tomorrow,” he said.

Australia will also feel good about their chances of securing a third title of the season after coming away with an 8-1-2-1 record to grab a share of the lead.

“We are in good shape and the team is feeling good,” Slingsby said.

“We had a tough first race but were able to turn it around so happy to be in the hunt.”

The US team won the first race after leading the entire way and victory was especially sweet for three-times Bermuda Gold Cup winner Taylor Canfield as it was his first on the SailGP circuit here.

“That was epic to get a first race win here in Bermuda,” he said.

“It was awesome to cross the finish line and see everyone on the shore and all the boats around.

“This feels like a home away from home for me. Same kind of island vibe that I grew up in so it’s great to be back here. We started the boat really well today and that makes the rest of the race a little bit easier.

“I think we sailed the boat really well in race one out in front and then had a few tough moments in a few other races and left some points out there.

“It’s frustrating to know that we have a little bit more and we gave a few points away, but overall happy with the day and I think we’re in a great spot.

“We’re super pleased and just a few small touch-ups tomorrow and we’re right in the mix.”

It was a disappointing day for Artemis SailGP team, who were unable to compete after encountering a technical issue on their boat during the pre-race warm up.

“There’s a post that holds the forestay up from the front beam and where it connects to the boat, that end failed,” team driver Nathan Outteridge explained.

“We’d probably been sailing for about 25 seconds and then it failed, which was a bit disappointing.”

Outteridge and his fellow team-mates are now hoping to be on the starting line tomorrow.

“The SailGP tech team will do everything they can tonight to get us on the water tomorrow,” he said.

DS Automobiles Team France also endured hardship when stand-in wing trimmer Glenn Ashby suffered an injury crossing the trampoline during the second race.

The French were initially sidelined but returned in the fourth race after Australia SailGP team reserve athlete Tom Needham stepped in to fill the void in Ashby’s absence.