The New Zealand SailGP Team has made a promising start to the Spain Sail Grand Prix, winning the Juan Sebastián de Elcano Trophy on the eve of official racing in Cádiz.
The one-off commemorative race between Spain, the USA and New Zealand took place after practice racing today to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the first circumnavigation of the globe.
The Kiwis led from start to finish in a dominant performance and were presented the trophy onboard their F50 Amokura by His Majesty King Felipe VI.
Co-CEO and wing trimmer Blair Tuke said: “To have the King of Spain aboard Amokura was a huge moment. I’m really proud of the whole team. It was a good milestone for the team to take our first win. It was a great race and a good confidence booster and we’re really looking forward to the weekend.”
Co-CEO and driver Peter Burling said: “It was great for us to win the Juan Sebastián de Elcano trophy today. It was really cool to get that first win under our belts as a team and claim our first trophy.
“It gives us a lot of confidence going into the weekend. There were definitely pretty tricky conditions out there but it felt like we learned a lot and to be able to execute as a group was pretty cool.”
