The Bonds Flying Roos now comfortably lead by 14 points, with Spain’s Los Gallos – hoping to win a third Grand Prix on the bounce in Sassnitz – consolidating second place with the runner-up spot.

It capped a remarkable two days of racing in front of 15,000 fans packed into the Sassnitz race stadium, with day two conditions turning brutal – winds gusting up to 40 km/h combined with driving rain that left athletes reporting they could barely see across the course.

Home hopes soar as Germany taste victory – twice

The chaos began in fleet racing, where patchy, shifting conditions turned the leaderboard upside down race after race.

The opening race of day two set the tone. In Group B, the Bonds Flying Roos nailed the start with Emirates GBR and Artemis in pursuit, while NorthStar picked up a start line penalty and dropped to the back of the fleet. Artemis then fell off their foils at gate two and were penalised for failing to keep clear, tumbling from second to sixth as NorthStar profited, climbed back to second amid the carnage.

But it was home team Germany by Deutsche Bank who stole the headlines, surging from fifth to first on leg three to open up a 600m lead – a swing that summed up just how unpredictable conditions were on the water. Erik Kosegarten-Heil’s outfit held on despite dropping off their foils on the upwind leg, boat speed sagging to 15-20 km/h, to claim their second race win in a row – the first time the team has won two races in a single event.

NorthStar and Artemis completed remarkable recoveries to round out the podium in second and third, both having been last at various points in the race. It was a race to forget for the Bonds Flying Roos, who could only manage fifth, while the US finished last.

Black Foils close in on Final spot

As Group A’s opener got under way there was a rare moment of relative calm as a wind shift flattened the course into a straight up-and-down battle, removing the need for maneuvers altogether.

The Black Foils and DS Automobiles Team France grabbed the best starts, with the Kiwis leading at mark one. Mubadala Brazil sat third at the first mark but were penalised for failing to give room, opening the door for ROCKWOOL Racing to move into second on leg three before Los Gallos produced a stunning charge from sixth to second.

The Black Foils held firm to take the win – their second in four races – all but securing their spot in the Final before fleet racing had even finished. Los Gallos claimed second, with DS Automobiles Team France fending off a late charge from ROCKWOOL Racing to hold third.

Three-way pile-up shakes up the top of the leaderboard

With the top four teams in Group B separated by just a single point heading into their final fleet race, the intensity ratcheted up further. The US nailed the start and led at mark one, chased hard by Artemis and the Bonds Flying Roos.

A costly error at gate two saw the US fall off their foils and slip to second, handing the lead to Artemis. The drama peaked on leg three when Bonds Flying Roos, NorthStar and Artemis all came together in a heart-stopping moment – NorthStar emerged with the lead, Bonds Flying Roos dropped to third and Artemis moved into second.

Los Gallos punch their ticket to the Final

Group A’s last outing became a straight fight between Los Gallos and DS Automobiles Team France for the second remaining Final berth – and Los Gallos delivered when it mattered most, executing a near-perfect start to lead at mark one.

Red Bull Italy’s penalty in second handed the position to ROCKWOOL Racing, a moment that appeared to boost DS Automobiles Team France’s hopes. But Los Gallos extended their lead beyond reach, and a nosedive for the French on leg five effectively ended their Final ambitions. The Black Foils and Los Gallos were confirmed for the Final alongside Bonds Flying Roos and NorthStar.

Aussies convert again as home favorites fall agonisingly short

The Final was pure Sassnitz theatre. The Bonds Flying Roos absolutely nailed the start, rounding mark one clear in first with NorthStar in second and the Black Foils third – conditions so poor by this point that teams reported being unable to see through the driving rain. Los Gallos, meanwhile, turned mark one in last place – eerily reminiscent of their form in Portsmouth, where they turned a similar deficit into victory.

True to script, Los Gallos began clawing their way back, overhauling the Black Foils at gate four to move into second. But there was no stopping the Bonds Flying Roos this time. The Aussies built a commanding lead by leg five that proved impossible to reel in, crossing the line to seal a fifth Grand Prix win of the season.

In a tense climax to the Final, the wind disappeared just as the Black Foils, NorthStar and Los Gallos approached the finish line. It might have played out in slow motion, but the conclusion was nothing short of heart-stopping as all three teams looked to get the edge in the dying moments. The Black Foils were penalised for failing to keep clear of Los Gallos right on the finish line, in a moment that will sting on review. NorthStar produced a late drift to snatch second, with Los Gallos completing the podium in third and Black Foils dropping to fourth after their penalty.

Meanwhile, it was a Sassnitz to forget for reigning champions Emirates GBR, who could only manage eighth overall. The result leaves them level on points with the US in fourth in the Championship standings, but now a hefty 30 points adrift of the runaway leaders Bonds Flying Roos.

Nine events down, and four still to go. The big questions: Can anyone reel in the Bonds Flying Roos? Will Los Gallos find the consistency to mount a real title charge? And can Emirates GBR rediscover the form that made them champions before it’s too late?

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