Peter Burling reflects on SailGP Auckland leg.
Video / NZ Herald
Disappointment of not being in the final of their home regatta aside, Black Foils driver Peter Burling saw plenty to take away from his crew’s performance in SailGP’s debut in Auckland.
The New Zealand team settled for fourth in the event, dealing with slow starts and equipment issues across the weekend but finding ways to move through the fleet and put themselves in with a shot of making the three-boat final.
Ultimately, it was Tom Slingsby’s Australian outfit claiming hoisting the title, beating Spain and Great Britain in the three-boat final.
In tricky conditions and on new equipment with the high-speed T-Foils being used for the first time in racing, Burling was buoyed by what his team could take out of the regatta.
“I think for us, just the amount of learning we got out of this weekend is really pleasing. I felt like each day we really progressed forward and got better and better, we got more comfortable.
“[We’re] really excited with the way the team’s going with Leo, who’s doing an awesome job, but just getting a few more hours under the belts, just seeing the rate of improvement is absolutely amazing.
“[We’re] really excited to go and try and take the next event off the Aussies and in their home turf.”
While slow starts saw them struggle a bit when racing began on Saturday, Burling revealed the Black Foils had to deal with some equipment issues leading into and during Sunday’s races.
The New Zealanders weren’t the only team who had issues, with eventual winners Australia retiring from the final fleet race after a potential issue – opting instead to get everything checked as they had already qualified for the three-boat final.
Australia sailed to victory in SailGP's Auckland debut. Photo / Bob Martin, SailGP
Germany also had issues during the event, having to retire from Saturday’s second race and being unable to compete in the third.
In terms of the new T-Foils being rolled out, Burling said he felt had made huge progress in understanding the new tech, but it was disappointing that other areas let them down on Sunday.
“It felt like we were 90% of the way there, doing some really good things but then having a few little mistakes as well.
“It was frustrating to not really be able to put our best foot forward today with the issues with the boat, but I’m really proud of the way the team fought.
“We managed to close a fourth out of the event. It could have easily been a lot worse, to be honest, with the issues. There were plenty of lessons to come out of it and we’re looking forward to the next event.”
The Auckland event could be the first of several to come, with league chief executive Sir Russell Coutts revealing to Newstalk ZB’s Jason Pine that SailGP was in conversations to make Auckland a long-term host venue.
This year’s regatta was the third of a four-year hosting commitment in New Zealand, after two editions in Christchurch, and Burling gave a glowing review of the arena provided by Wynyard Quarter and the Waitematā Harbour.
“It’d be awesome to have Auckland as a long-term venue on the calendar. It’s something right from the inception of us as the New Zealand team being involved in SailGP, we always thought this was going to be an amazing venue.
“We always thought it was going to be super tight as you would’ve seen, but to be able to put the grandstand here, get all the boats around and the Kiwi support for it, it’s so easy to get to from downtown Auckland, was absolutely amazing.
