Tom Slingsby says the lessons from a turbulent SailGP season will play into the Australians’ hands ahead of the all-important season finale in San Francisco.
Australia has a good chance of competing alongside New Zealand and one other boat in the season finale with prize money of US$2 million on Sunday afternoon (local time). The team only needs to avoid penalty points and finish at least seventh in the rankings after five fleet races.
Slingsby’s boat owes its strong start to the SailGP calendar to its position in second place on the season’s rankings ahead of the 13th and final regatta in San Francisco Bay.
Australia, champions of the first three seasons of the High Speed Sailing League, have endured a lukewarm fourth season, particularly since winning their home event on Sydney Harbour in February.
At the next event in Christchurch, Australia crashed into a racing mark, lost eight season points as a penalty and finished the regatta in last place. Technical problems in Bermuda and a capsize in Halifax also caused problems for Slingsby and Co.
“It’s been a season of ups and downs for us,” Australia captain Slingsby told AAP. “Before that we were leading the points standings from start to finish and went into the final with a mindset that was hard to beat. This season the Kiwis had that season.”
“There have been ups and downs, but I feel like it has only made it stronger.
“We’ve been through so many different scenarios this year and we’ve come through it as a team and we’ll continue to do so.”
Having been out of form recently, Australia will draw confidence from its record in San Francisco Bay, which traditionally sees strong winds and fast racing.
Aside from winning all three previous finals in the Bay, Australia has excelled in similar conditions and also recorded its only event win of the season in Sydney.
“We competed in three events (in San Francisco) and won all three convincingly,” Slingsby said.
“We won three out of three games and here the winner takes all. You start from zero, equal points, winner takes all and we managed to win. I know my team and how they behave under pressure.
“I don’t want anyone else on my team behind me. That’s where I get my confidence from.”
Australia will complete a final day of practice in San Francisco Bay on Friday before the main event begins on Saturday afternoon.
“We know what we have to do here,” coach Ben Durham told AAP. “I think we feel more ready for a final than ever before, so that gives the team a lot of confidence.”
“We’ve experienced a lot of misfortune over the course of the year and I think that has brought us closer together.”